RESPONSE OF CHONDROCYTES ISOLATED FROM HUMAN FOETAL CARTILAGE TO PLASMA SOMATOMEDIN ACTIVITY

Abstract

Plasma somatomedin activity enhanced the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into chondrocytes isolated from human foetal cartilage during weeks 13–21 of gestation. Human growth hormone (0·1–20 μu./ml), human placental lactogen (0·1–5 μg/ml) and insulin (0·25– 10 μu./ml) had no direct effects on the synthesis of DNA in these chondrocytes, although insulin at concentrations of 2·5–100 mu./ml increased [3H]thymidine incorporation by up to 400%.