Inhibitory effects of dextran sulfates on aggregation of embryonic quail liver cells in culture

Abstract

The effects of dextran sulfates of varying molecular weights on the aggregation of dissociated embryonic quail liver cells were examined in rotation-mediated cell culture. Dextran sulfates of mol. wt 60 000 (DS 60 000) and 7 500 (DS 7 500) had concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on the aggregation of cells. At the concentration of 30 μg/ml, DS 60 000 was effective in reducing the mean diameter of aggregates to about one-third or one-fourth those of aggregates in control cultures after 24 or 48 h of cultivation, respectively. DS 7 500 was effective in reducing the mean diameter of aggregates to about two-thirds or one-third those of aggregates in control cultures after 24 or 48 h of cultivation. The characteristic pattern of liver cell aggregates was consistently observed in the presence of DS 60 000 and DS 7 500 at all concentrations employed. DS 45 000 had no effect on either the size or the shape of aggregates of embryonic liver cells.