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Spontaneous polyploidization results in apoptosis in a Meth-A tumor cell line
K Fujikawa-Yamamoto1, Z P Zong, M Murakami
1Division of Basic Science, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
Abstract:
Cultured Meth-A cells always include a small fraction of large cells, which had a DNA content above 4c (polyploid cells). The process from the formation to the disintegration of polyploid Meth-A cells was measured by means of time-lapse videography. Polyploid Meth-A cells arose spontaneously from normal cells (polyploidization), then died by apoptosis. The fraction of polyploid cells gradually increased in seven day-exponential cultures with a low concentration of demecolcine, which is a specific inhibitor of cell division. The results revealed that the polyploid Meth-A cells are generated from normal cells by failing cell division and that they die by apoptosis.
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