Division of BALB/c mouse 3T3 and simian virus 40-transformed 3T3 cells in cellular aggregates.

BALB/c mouse 3T3 cells and 3T3 cells transformed by simian virus 40 (SV40) were cultured as aggregates in agitated liquid medium. When maintained with daily medium changes, 3T3 cells incorporated [(3)H]thymidine into acid-insoluble material at a rate (1/4) that of 3T3 cells in logarithmic-phase flat cultures but 16 times that of the same cells in stationary-phase flat cultures. Similarly, SV40-transformed 3T3 cells in aggregates incorporated [(3)H]thymidine at (1/3) the rate of SV40-3T3 cells in logarithimic-phase flat culture and 14 times that of these cells in stationary-phase flat culture. Autoradiographs of aggregates of 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells incubated for 2 hr in the presence of [(3)H]uridine and [(3)H]thymidine indicated that penetration of the nucleosides into aggregates during this period was limited to the outer four to six cell layers. Aggregates were also incubated in the presence of radiolabeled thymidine and uridine continuously for 4 days. Under these conditions, where nucleoside penetration was not limiting, 100% of the SV40-3T3 cells and 56% of the 3T3 cells incorporated [(3)H]thymidine into acid-insoluble material. The rates of cell division, cell loss, and net cell accumulation in aggregates of 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells were measured by techniques not influenced by possible alterations in transport, pool size, or penetration. SV40-3T3 cells divided with a doubling time for the total population of 26.0 hr. The total cell number increased more slowly (doubling time of 48.3 hr) because of cell loss, which occurred with a half-time (time for 50% of the cells to be lost) of 53.3 hr. 3T3 cells in aggregates began to divide only after 3 days, then did so with a doubling time for the total population of 76.4 hr. Total cell number decreased (half-time of 26.3 hr) because this rate of cell division was exceeded by the rate of cell loss, which was constant with a half-time of 22.9 hr. The results suggest that 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells display growth properties in aggregates consistent with their previously reported behavior in conventional flat culture: SV40-transformed 3T3 cells can proliferate under conditions of high cell density to a much greater extent than 3T3 cells can. Both cell lines, however, display an increased capacity to divide in aggregates relative to confluent flat culture, despite conditions of high cell density and absence of anchorage to an artificial solid substrate.