THE RATE OF PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN HEPATOCY TES HIGHER IN DILUTED THAN IN DENSE CULTURE

Incorporation of H-3-leucine in proteins and radioactivity of free leu cine have been studied in hepatocyte culture on collagen-coated glass. A high density culture obtained from a suspension of isolated rat hep atocytes at 5 x 10(6) cells/ml was compared with low density cultures diluted from the same suspension 10- to 20-fold. The incorporation poo l ratio showing the efficiency of the precursor utilization was higher in the low density culture as compared with the high density monolaye r. The effect was due to disproportionate low pool in the diluted cult ures. The total radioactivity of proteins was lower in the diluted cul tures as compared with the monolayer, although the incorporation was n ot in proportion with the cell density. Specific rate of protein synth esis (per cell) was higher in the diluted cultures than in the monolay er.