Biophysical Journal 12: 1562-1572 (1972)
© 1972 the Biophysical Society

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Growth Dynamics of Mitochondria in Synchronized Chinese Hamster Cells

ABSTRACT

The increase in cell volume (from electronic cell sizing) and the apportionment of this volume amongst the nuclear, cytoplasmic, and mitochondrial subcellular compartments (from electron microscopy) were studied throughout the cell division cycle in partially synchronized cultures of Chinese hamster V79-S171 cells. Average whole cell volume was found to increase smoothly, consistent with the doubling in one generation of individual cell volume. Nuclear size increased in like fashion. Mean total mitochondrial volume and number of mitochondria per cell both showed a different kind of variation, most notably a significant decrease in G₁ and G₂ as compared with mid S. These results are therefore counter to a model of simple doubling of mitochondria either synchronously with the cell division cycle or asynchronously. Absolute mean values per cell for log phase Chinese hamster cells were also determined, as follows: whole cell volume, 710 µ³; nuclear volume, 190 µ³; total mitochondrial volume, 37.5 µ³; number of mitochondria per cell, 90.