Fig. 1

Glucose as a limiting nutrient in MSC cultures. Immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (ihMSC) were seeded to confluence and monitored for detachment over 144 h, assessed every 24 h via 10× transmitted light microscopy of the live cells (a). Complete DMEM (Control), DMEM without serum (-Serum), DMEM without standard culture nutrient supplements (l-glutamine, non-essential amino acids, and sodium pyruvate; -Nutrients), and un-supplemented DMEM (-Serum/-Nutrients) were assessed as models of nutrient deprivation, with MSCs monitored until apparent apoptosis in culture. Cells did not exhibit a response to these deprivations until approximately 96 h. Immortalized and primary MSCs (prhMSC) were then seeded at varying confluence and allowed to proliferate at basal state for up to 48 h. Media from cultures were collected and assessed for glucose concentration to determine uptake rates and time to depletion (b). Experiments are averages over three experiments, N = 3. Images shown of MSC cultures are representative fields of cells in culture over three experiments. HC- high confluence, LC- low confluence