Enhancement of phenotypic expression in cultured malignant liver epithelial cells by a complex medium.

The ability of two media identically supplemented with serum to maintain functional and structural differential properties of cultured malignant liver epithelial cells was compared. Reuber H35 hepatoma cells grown in a complex medium, Medium E, possessed the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and bile canaliculi. When grown in Eagle's Minimal Essential Medium, the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was reduced and bile canaliculi were not formed. This decrease in properties was restored when cells maintained in Minimal Essential Medium was returned to Medium E. It was concluded that the enhanced phenotypic expression was probably due to enrichment of the nutrient environment.