New Carbon Dioxide-Independent Basal Growth Medium for Culture of Diverse Tumor and Nontumor Cells of Human and Nonhuman Origin

Abstract

A eukaryotic growth medium (Program Development Research Group Basal Growth Medium) was developed for CO ₂ -independent maintenance and propagation of human and nonhuman tumor cell lines representing diverse histologies (e.g., cancers of the brain, colon, lung, ovary, and kidney, as well as leukemia and melanoma). It was also shown to be suitable for the maintenance and propagation of nontumor cells of human and nonhuman derivation. The medium derives its buffering capacity primarily from β-glycerophosphate, exhibits a stable physiologic pH of 7.3–7.4, and is optimized to facilitate growth in atmospheric CO ₂ . It is also useful in cellular growth and cytotoxicity assays based on either the metabolic reduction of tetrazolium reagents or protein staining. The 50% inhibitory concentration values obtained with car-mustine, doxorubicin, and tamoxifen in cell lines maintained in the new medium under atmospheric CO ₂ were closely comparable to those obtained with these drugs against cells maintained in RPMI-1640 under a 5% CO ₂ environment. [J Natl Cancer Inst 82:1055– 1061, 1990]