Glycogen synthesis in serum-free cultured hepatocytes in response to insulin and dexamethasone.

Liver parenchymal cells cultured in serum-free medium may retain their ability to synthesize glycogen in response to insulin. Specific hormone requirements are needed by hepatocytes to retain the biochemical pattern of mature cells. Insulin supplementation of culture medium seems to be essential to maintain the glycogen synthesis rate of cultured hepatocytes. The continuous presence of dexamethasone amplified the insulin-induced glycogen synthesis. Cytophotometric analysis showed differences in the way that individual cells accumulate glycogen in response to insulin stimulus, which indicates that liver parenchymal cells in culture are functionally heterogeneous.