Serum albumin stimulates the reactivation of bovine lens epithelial cells in primary culture.

Small amounts of serum added to lens epithelial cells in primary culture give rise to an initial retraction of the epithelial sheet and a following stimulation of spreading. It could be shown that albumin or a component tightly bound to albumin is responsible for triggering off these early events of reactivation in culture. The stimulation of spreading is accompanied by an increase of protein biosynthesis. The albumin-produced stimulation of both spreading and protein synthesis are counteracted by adenine or adenosine in the presence of inorganic phosphate. The albumin as well as the purine effects disappear after subculturing of the cells.