Chromosome analyses in cell cultures of the Chinese hamster after application of cadmiumsulphate.

Cell cultures of a Chinese hamster cell line were treated with CdSO4 in concentrations of between 10-4 and 10-8 mol/l for different time periods. After a treatment of 16 hr the mitotic index was reduced. Strong stickiness and pycnosis of chromosomes occurred at the highest concentrations. A treatment period of 3 hr with concentrations of 10-5 and 10-4 mol/l without additional application of Colcemid and hypotonic solution yielded a stathmokinetic effect. The mitotic index increased, mitoses were blocked in metaphase stage and 'initial C mitoses' and 'C mitoses' were present. Structural chromosome aberrations were present in the recovery period of more than 12 hr following a treatment of 1 hr with 10-4 mol/l CdSO4, The observed aberrations were mainly of the chromatid type