The effect of hydrocortisone and albumin on the synthesis and secretion of soluble proteins by isolated hepatocytes

Abstract

1. 1. Monolayer cultures of hepatocytes were prepared. 2. 2. Supplementation of the incubation medium with bovine serum albumin increasing from 150 mg% to 6% resulted in an increase in retained and total newly synthesised proteins. No clear effects on secretion of soluble proteins were observed. 3. 3. Hydrocortisone supplementation of the medium at 13.75 and 27.50 nmol/l resulted in both enhanced synthesis and secretion of soluble proteins, an effect found not to be a function of concentration. Serum inhibited the effect. 4. 4. Hydrocortisone supplementation resulted in enhanced [ 3H]leucine uptake by the cells, inhibited in the presence of anti-rat albumin serum. 5. 5. Hydrocortisone supplementation had no effect on the inhibition of synthesis and secretion that resulted from supplementation of the medium with anti-rat albumin serum.