Cell-mediated transmission of hormonal imprinting to virgin mammalian cells in culture and failure of transmission with the nutrient medium.

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and Chang liver cells which had already interacted with a hormone (gonadotropin, TSH, insulin) in culture, transmitted hormonal imprinting to virgin cells not previously involved in the interaction. The information associated with imprinting was not mediated by the nutrient medium, because the nutrient medium of the hormone-treated cells did not induce imprinting in virgin cells and even reduced rather than enhanced the hormone binding capacity thereof. Thus the transmission of information is in all probability associated with a direct cell-cell contact.