Low oxygen concentration extends the lifespan of cultured human diploid cells (original) (raw)
- Letter
- Published: 02 June 1977
Nature volume 267, pages 423–425 (1977)Cite this article
- 1023 Accesses
- 281 Citations
- 7 Altmetric
- Metrics details
Abstract
THE pioneering studies of Hayflick1 showed that normal human diploid cells of the WI-38 strain have a limited lifespan of approximately 50±10 population doublings (PDL) in vitro. It is still not known to what extent this phenomenon is the result of the artificiality of the cell culture system : factors such as nutrition and ambient environmental factors may restrict the ability of these cells to express their true genetic potential. To what extent genetic and environmental factors act to constrain the lifespan of human diploid cells in culture is open to experiment. In the present study we have evaluated one important ambient factor of the environment, the oxygen concentration, on the growth and lifespan of two human diploid cell strains, WI-38 and IMR-90. Our results show that growth at oxygen concentrations less than 20% is enhanced and that an extension of about 25% of the lifespan of both cell types was realised by long term cultivation under 10% oxygen. This indicates that the potential for long term growth in culture of normal diploid cells may be appreciably enhanced by more exact control of environmental factors.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Additional access options:
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Hayflick, L. Expl Cell Res. 37, 614–636 (1965).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Nolan, J. S. & Packer, L. Methods in Enzymology XXXII(B) (eds Fleischer, S., Packer, L. & Estabrook, R. W.) 561–568 (Academic, New York, 1974).
Google Scholar - Packer, L. & Smith, J. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 4763–4767 (1974).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Taylor, W. G., Richter, A., Evans, V. J. & Sanford, K. K. Expl Cell Res. 86, 152–156 (1974).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Richter, A., Sanford, K. K. & Evans, V. J. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 49, 1705–1711 (1972).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Balin, A. K., Goodman, D. B. P., Rasmussen, H. & Cristofalo, V. J. J. Cell Physiol. 89, 235–249 (1976); J. Cell Biol. (in the press).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Packer, L. Aging, Carcinogenesis and Radiation Biology (ed. Smith, K. E.) 519–535 (Plenum, New York, 1976).
Book Google Scholar - Packer, L. & Smith, J. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Membrane Bioenergetics Group, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720
LESTER PACKER & KATHY FUEHR
Authors
- LESTER PACKER
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - KATHY FUEHR
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PACKER, L., FUEHR, K. Low oxygen concentration extends the lifespan of cultured human diploid cells.Nature 267, 423–425 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267423a0
- Received: 31 January 1977
- Accepted: 27 March 1977
- Issue Date: 02 June 1977
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267423a0