Analysis of growth dynamics and the relationship to the fluctuations in alkaline phosphatase in two strains of cells of HeLa S3 derivation.

Studies have been carried out to determine an association between glucocorticoid-induced changes in the pattern of growth and the fluctuations of alkaline phosphatase in two HeLa strains. The results showed that growth arrest in steroid-treated cells did not have the characteristics of density-induced growth inhibition. Alkaline phosphatase increased with increased cell density, the increase being greater than control in steroid-treated cells of the "inducible" strain (HeLa S3G, HeLa65) and less than control in the "suppressible" strain (HeLa S3K, HeLa71). Increased serum concentration in the growth medium (0 to 20%) caused an increase in alkaline phosphatase in S3G strain and a decrease in the S3K strain.