[Repair of damage to cells in an SPEV culture after exposure to mitomycin C]

The action of mitomycin C on a porcine embryo kidney culture (in dose of 0.5-1.5 mkg/ml in the course of 24-72 hours) is accompanied by significant changes in the ultrastructure and morphology of cells. Moreover, mitomycin C sharply inhibits DNA synthesis, mitotic activity and much more weakly suppresses protein and RNA syntheses. After a prolonged (48 hours) washing of the antibiotics only the mitochondrial ultrastructure is restored in the fresh cultural medium. DNA synthesis and mitotic activity remain suppressed, while protein and RNA syntheses increase sharply, which leads to protein accumulation in cells, and to the enlargement of nuclei, nucleoli and cells. Such changed cells are unable to keep on living and perish.