Reciprocal modulation of growth and differentiated functions of mature rat hepatocytes in primary culture by cell--cell contact and cell membranes.

In primary monolayer cultures of rat mature hepatocytes, many metabolic functions as well as cell growth are regulated by cell density. There are two types of regulatory response of these functions to change of cell density. Growth-related functions, such as DNA synthesis, induction of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 2-aminoisobutyric acid transport, synthesis of cellular protein, and cholesterogenesis, are stimulated by low cell density. In contrast, functions related to hepatocyte-specific characters, such as the inductions of tyrosine aminotransferase, serine dehydratase, and malic enzyme and synthesis of triglycerides, are stimulated by high cell density. The reciprocal responses of these cellular activities to cell density were mimicked by addition of plasma membranes purified from adult rat liver to hepatocytes cultured at low cell density. The modulator activity was heat labile and trypsin sensitive. The activity was also found in plasma membranes from kidney, brain, and erythrocytes, although the specific activities of these preparations seemed to be different. These results suggest that the reciprocal regulations of cell growth and hepatocyte-specific functions are mediated by some surface components via cell-cell contact.