Removal of large lipid droplets from cytochalasin B-treated chondrocytes by high speed centrifugation.

Chondrocytes isolated from auricular cartilage of 10-week-old rabbits were exposed to cytochalasin B and centrifuged in Percoll solution at 50.000 g for 1 h. This treatment removed the large fat droplets present in the majority of chondrocytes without impairing their viability. It appears that after destruction of actin filaments by cytochalasin, large fat droplets are extruded from the cells during high speed centrifugation due to the difference in the specific weight of fat and chondrocyte cytoplasm. Conceivably, on the same principle other materials could also be eliminated from the cells.