Abstract
PK (15), a homogeneous epithelial cell line from porcine kidney which was originally established through single cell cloning from PK-2a, was found to respond to [Asu1, 7] eel calcitonin with an increase in adenosine 3': 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) content, but do not respond to parathyroid hormone or arginine vasopressin.
These cells were able to grow in a synthetic medium (a 1: 1 mixture of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's MEM and Ham's F12 medium) without any supplementary factor. The medium supplemented with selenous acid, transferrin, and insulin permitted a growth rate equivalent to those in serum containing medium. When grown in the serum-free defined medium, these cells showed an increase in cAMP content in response to [Asu1, 7] eel calcitonin to approximately the same degree as in the serum containing medium (10% fetal calf serum). Our present study first indicates that PK (15) cells are capable of growing in the serum-free defined medium retaining the calcitonin responsiveness of the original cells.
