ENVIRONMENTAL OSMOTIC HYPERTONICITY FOR THE HELA STRAIN CELLS IN VITRO¹⁾

Abstract

Cameron (1950) described that cells in tissue culture can withstand some degree of osmotic hypotonicity but proportionally a much smaller degree of hypertonicity, and this fact has been commonly accepted. Concerning mere maintenance or survival of the HeLa strain cells, the above-mentioned fact was confirmed by the present authors. However, when the influence of various grades of environmental osmotic pressure, around the isotonic one, was examined by estimating the cell population on the basis of nucleus enumeration, it was found that a slightly hypertonic environment was best for proliferation of the cells.