[Human large intestine adenocarcinoma cells (CaCo-2) in the process of cultivation]

Using cytomorphometry and cytophotometry cells of human large intestine adenocarcinoma (CaCo-2) were studied under condition of a 10 day cultivation. A reverse dependence was established between proliferative activity and monolayer density. The increase of the latter inhibits proliferation and promotes the formation of islets of polymorph cells. 2c-cells could be seen only at the beginning of culture growth; a larger part of cells polyploidized by cell blocking in G2-phase. These cells do not divide, which is testified by the absence of 2c-cells, but some part of 4c-cells start the next cycle, accumulates 8c-DNA and then divides, replenishing the 4c-cells population. In the process of cultivation, we observed an increase in the number and total volume of nucleoli in the nuclei, and a rise in DNA amount in the peri-nucleolar chromatin. The formation of numerous 4c-cells with multi-nucleolar nuclei may define an increase of functional activity of CaCo-2 culture as the whole, whereas the formation of separated groups of such cells in the monolayer may denote a possible initiation of their differentiation.