Effect of imposed serum deprivation on growth of the mouse 3T3 cell. Dissociation from changes in potassium ion transport as measured from [86Rb)rubidium ion uptake.

Decreased serum concentrations that substantially alter the growth of normal 3T3 cells alter neither the active and non-active components of unidirectional (86)Rb(+) influx nor the intracellular K(+) content when compared with cells in exponential growth. Thus the changes in K(+) transport (measured with (86)Rb(+) as an analogue for K(+) movements) that occur on density-dependent growth inhibition of the mouse 3T3 cell are not mimicked by serum deprivation of the cells before density inhibition.