The effect of serum on monolayer cell culture of mammalian articular chondrocytes.

Large variations were found in the ability of six species of sera to support growth of rabbit, human and dog articular chondrocytes in monolayer culture. In most instances the DNA content of the cell pellets increased directly as the serum concentration rose from 10 to 30%. Indications of inhibitory as well as growth-promoting actions were found in some sera. Stimulation of rabbit chondrocyte proliferation by increasing concentrations of serum was accompanied by a reduction of radiosulfate incorporation and cell protein content. There was no consistent relation between the response of chondrocytes from a given species and its homologous serum. However, the growth of human chondrocytes was greatly potentiated by human serum provided that interference with initial attachment of the cells to the culture flask by homologous serum was overcome by priming with fetal calf serum.