Figure 4

Effect of non-germinating conditions on RAW264.7 cell viability, cell cycle progression, and metabolic activity. RAW264.7 cells were incubated at 37° in DMEM in the presence (+, black bars) or absence (-, white bars) of FBS, and then evaluated at 4 or 24 h, as indicated, for viability (A), cell cycle progression (B), and metabolic activity (C). (A) The cells were assayed for PI uptake, as described under Materials and Methods. The data are rendered as the relative PI uptake normalized at both 4 and 24 h to cells incubated in the absence of FBS. (B) The cells were analyzed for their cell cycle profiles, as described under Materials and Methods. The data are rendered as the relative numbers of cells in G₂/M normalized at both 4 and 24 h to cells incubated in the absence of FBS. (C) The cells were analyzed for conversion of MTT to formazan. The data are rendered as the fold change of formazan production normalized at both 4 and 24 h to cells incubated in the absence of FBS. To generate the bar graphs, data were combined from three independent experiments, each conducted in triplicate. Error bars indicate standard deviations. The P values were calculated to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences in viability (A), cell cycle progression (B), and metabolism (C) between cells cultured in the absence or presence of FBS.