Incorporation of exogenous glycosphingolipids in plasma membranes of cultured hamster cells and concurrent change of growth behavior

Roger A. Laine, University of Washington School of Medicine
Sen itiroh Hakomori, University of Washington School of Medicine

Abstract

Globoside added to culture medium was taken up by NIL cells and accumulated as a component of plasma membrane. This was evidenced by the recovery of 3H-labelled globoside from plasma membrane fractions and by the higher chemical quantity of globoside found in NIL cells cultured in medium containing globoside. Concomitantly the following changes in growth behavior were manifested: a reduction in growth rate due to an extended prereplicative phase and a reduced saturation density which may result from changed adhesive properties of cells. © 1973.