The Na + K + ATPase activity in cultured human fibroblasts with an elevated phospholipid triene: tetraene ratio

Human skin fibroblasts were cultured at low density for 11 days in MCDB 110, 0.4% fetal bovine serum, a mitogen mixture, and were supplemented with 18∶2n−6 or 18∶1n−9 as a fatty acid‐albumin complex. The cells cultured with the 18∶2n−6 supplement had a 20∶3n−9/20∶4n−6 ratio of 0.29±0.07; the 18∶1n−9 supplemented cells had a ratio of 1.51±0.27. There was less than 4% difference in total growth of the cell population under the two culture conditions. The cells supplemented with 18∶2n−9 had similar levels of protein/cell, K + /mg cell protein and functional Na + K + ATPase activity.