The metabolism of glucose of nerve cells cultivated under different conditions.

1. The consumption of glucose and formation of lactate was studied in medium of long-term cultivated nerve tissue. Fragments of chicken brain embryo dissociated and reaggregated brain cells were cultivated in Rose chambers, Falcon plastic dishes and Erlenmayer flasks. 2. Dissociated cells were cultivated in Petri dishes in media containing 100 mg/100 ml glucose. Consumption of glucose and formation of lactate increases until the 9th day. Glucose is completely exhausted in the medium up to the 2nd week of cultivation. 3. The time curve of both glucose consumption and lactate production is similar in cultures cultivated in Rose chambers, Petri dishes and Falcon plastic dishes. Cultures in Rose chambers utilize glucose at later stages anaerobically, whereas in Petri dishes and Falcon plastic dishes approximately 25% is utilized by aerobic glycolysis. 4. Cells dissociated by trypsinization and sieving are metabolically more active than cells separated mechanically (sieving only). During later stages of cultivation of enzymatically dissociated cells in 100 mg/100 ml glucose, lactate is utilized like a substrate, because of concentration of glucose in the medium is not being sufficient. 5. The concentration of glucose is essential for utilization by the aerobic pathway. In dissociated cells, cultivated in media enriched by 400 mg/100 ml of glucose in Falcon plastic dishes 75% of aerobic glycolysis is found during first 10 days and 50% in later stages. In the same system, cultivated in 100 mg/100 ml of glucose, glucose is exhausted up to the 12th day and lactate is utilized as a substrate. 6. In the close system of cultivation, i.e. in Rose chambers, 50% of glucose is utilized by the aerobic pathway if the medium contains 400 mg/100 ml of glucose. Early cultivation period of dissociated cells in Falcon plastic dishes is slowed, because cells adhere slowly to the plastic ground. 7. Structural development of cultures and differentiation of cells was studied during the cultivation period. Cells cultivated in elevated glucose concentration exhibit signs of better differentiation.