Dimethyl sulfoxide enhances polyethylene glycol-mediated somatic cell fusion.

The efficiency of fusion of human diploid cells by polyethylene glycol was greatly enhanced by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide. The extent of fusion was directly proportional to the concentrations of both of these compounds. At all except the highest concentrations, cell loss was moderate to minimal and perturbation of cell cycle function as measured by [3H] thymidine labeling indices and mitotic indices was minimal in the surviving cells. This technique is potentially useful for heterokaryon studies as well as for the isolation of hybrids of mammalian somatic cells.