Enhancement of Heme Synthesis in Quail Embryo Yolk Sac Cells by Highly Polar Compounds

Following our previous paper, we exammed the effects on the heme synthesis in quail yolk sac cells of polar compounds, other than dimethyl sulfoxide. that induce erythroid cell differentiation in cultured Friend leukemia cells. Dissociated yolk sac cells from quail embryos at the definitive primitive streak stage were cultured in a gyratory shaker in a medium containing dimethyl sulfoxide or other polar compounds. The single aggregates thus formed were further cultured in an egg agar medium containing Fe. An increase in heme synthesis was observed in the explants incubated in dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1 -methyl-2-piperidone. N-methylacetamide. or triethylene glycol, but not in those incubated in acetamide, propionamide. or N.N-dimethylformamide. A weak increase was observed in those incubated in hexamethylene bisacetamide. The hemoglobin and DNA contents were chemically determined in the pooled explants treated with N.N-dimethylacetamide to give an example of a polar compound. There was an obvious increase in hemoglobin content in the treated explants. The DNA content of the treated explants was also higher than in the control. The cellular permeability for Fe was not affected by N.N dimethylacetamide.