Accumulation of polyploid cells and G2-phase cells during ascites tumor growth.

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells from the plateau phase of growth were transplanted into new hosts, pulse-labeled with tritiated thymidine and blocked with repeated injections of vinblastine. When unlabeled cells were analyzed for their cellular DNA content utilizing a cytophotometric technique it was found that in relation to the total number of cells (labeled plus unlabeled), 13% had a 2C DNA content, 36% a 4C DNA content and 5% and 8C DNA content at 0.5 hours after tranplantation. By 24 hours the distributions changed dramatically: the initally unlabeled 2C cells were now 4C, the 36% of the cells that were initially 4C partitioned into 24% that were still 4C and 12% that progressed to 8C, and the initial 8C cells remained 8C. These studies indicate that the accumulation of 4C cells during the plateau phase of growth is due to a combination of G2 diploid and G1 tetraploid cells.