Effect of heparin, histamine and serotonin on the density-dependent inhibition of replication in two fibroblastic cell lines.

Abstract

The effects of heparin, histamine and serotonin—constituents of mast cells—on the density-dependent inhibition of replication was studied in two fibroblastic cell lines. Normal human foetal lung fibroblast-like cells (in subculture generations 10 through 14) and the established 3T3 murine cell line were used. In most experiments, the cultures were more than 14 days old and fed medium supplemented by 30 per cent serum. The human cells formed multilayered, tissue-like sheets whereas the 3T3 cells formed confluent monolayers.