[Morphological and metabolic changes in a HeLa cell culture exposed to fluorine]

Fluoride in subtoxic (1.5 mcg/ml) and toxic (12 mcg/ml) concentrations induced characteristic changes in the mitotic regime of HeLa cell culture. Fluctuations of the mitotic index, variations in the duration of division phases and in the spectrum of pathologic mitosis were noticed. It was shown that fluoride inhibited the genome reduplication. In lower concentrations the halogen produced the most expressed effect on transcription and translation, which corresponds to a so called paradoxial action of this trace element. Definite shifts in the ultrastructure of the cell surface and cell organelles were registered, which confirms a connection between morphological and functional changes in the culture during incubation with fluoride.