Biophysical Journal 3: 379-397 (1963)
© 1963 the Biophysical Society

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Life Cycle Analysis of Mammalian Cells

I. A Method for Localizing Metabolic Events within the Life Cycle, and Its Application to the Action of Colcemide and Sublethal Doses of X-Irradiation

ABSTRACT

Equations are presented describing the accumulation of cells at any part of the life cycle as a result of addition of specific blocking agents. An experimental methodology using these relationships is described which makes possible analysis with relatively high resolution of the distribution of cells throughout the life cycle in normal cultures or those treated with various agents. The action of colcemide on S3 HeLa cells studied by this method revealed that colcemide has no effect on the G1, S, or G2 stages; it blocks cells quantitatively at the metaphase-anaphase region; but it accumulates mitotic figures only from the cells which have not yet entered mitosis at the time of its addition. The technique was also applied to study the efficiency of x-irradiation in delaying the entrance of G2 cells into mitosis. A definite lag was found at the lowest dose studied which was 9 rads. Only the cells confined to a central region of G2 at the time of irradiation are affected by this dose.