Lipid changes of astrocytes from mouse cerebellum cultured in lipid-free chemically defined medium and in serum-supplemented medium.

Astrocytes of mouse cerebellum were grown in chemically defined medium for 14 days, subcultivated and grown in serum-containing medium for up to 14 days. After 14 days in defined medium the cells showed fatty degeneration from which they recovered histologically and chemically after one week in serum-supplemented medium. At this point 99% of the cells were glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive and synthesized phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine and bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate besides other phospholipids.