Long-term sublytic uptake of ammonio carboxylate surfactants by cultured hamster embryo fibroblasts

Abstract

We have devised a method for the determination of the long-term (days) uptake of radiolabeled surfactants by intact mammalian cells in monolayer culture. We have utilized the method to investigate several characteristics of the uptakes of three highly purified synthetic zwitterionic surfactants by confluent hamster embryo fibroblasts in culture medium containing serum. The uptakes reach a steady state after several hours and appear to be nonsaturable at sublytic concentrations. Surfactant structure was found to greatly influence the rate and extent of cellular uptake as well as the extent of the in vitro surfactant biotransformation.