Lipides of Chick Heart Fibroblasts. Effect of Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid.

Summary 1. A study of amount and nature of lipides that accumulate in “old” cultures of chick heart fibroblasts was made, along with the effect of vit. B12 and folic acid on the accumulation. 2. Vit. B12 and folic acid in the medium prevented accumulation of fat and apparently stimulated growth of the culture. Normal controls, freshly excised tissue, and vitamin treated cultures were essentially free of neutral fat as indicated by constancy of ratio of fatty acids to phospholipide phosphorus. In degenerating cultures this ratio increased rapidly in the absence of added vitamins.