Age-dependent changes and interrelations of number of cells and biochemical parameters (glucose, triglycerides, TBARS, calcium, phosphorus) in cultured human vein endothelial cells

The aim of this study is to assess in human vein endothelial cells cultures the variations related to aging in: number of cells, glucose, triglycerides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), calcium, phosphorus, cholesterol, total protein and urea and to analyze the relation of these parameters between themselves. Eight parallel flasks were subjected to the natural aging process, one of them without cells, analyzed at eight chronological stages. The determinations of biochemical parameters were performed in culture medium when it was changed. The number of cells, glucose, triglycerides and TEARS show significant variations during the aging process (P < 0.001). The glucose uptake per cell is maintained relatively constant in time (0.9 ng/cell day). A high linear correlation between glucose and the number of cells (r = 0.935), triglycerides and the number of cells (r = 0.505), triglycerides and decrease in number of cells (r = 0.805) is observed. The measurement of glucose uptake seems to be an excellent method for the assessment of energetic cellular metabolism and, in certain conditions, can be used to estimate the number of cells. In the latest stages of aged cells a slight increase in glucose uptake has been observed. There is an increase of triglycerides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances release during aging process. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.