Proliferating fibroblasts and HeLa cells co-cultured in vitro reciprocally influence growth patterns, protein expression, chromatin features and cell survival.

Aim: to identify biological interactions between proliferating fibroblasts and HeLa cells in vitro.

Materials And Methods: Fibroblasts were isolated from both normal and tumour human tissues. Coverslip co-cultures of HeLa and fibroblasts in various ratios with medium replacement every 48 h were studied using fixed cell staining with dyes such as Giemsa and silver staining, with immunochemistry for Ki-67 and E-cadherin, with dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) enzyme reaction, as well as live cell staining for non-specific esterases and lipids.