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Proliferative potential of human fibroblasts: An inverse dependence on cell size
Author(s) -
Angello John C.,
Pendergrass William R.,
Norwood Thomas H.,
Prothero John
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.1041320117
Subject(s) - foreskin , cell sorting , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , fibroblast , cell , dna , cell growth , cell culture , genetics
Human foreskin fibroblast‐like cells were separated on the basis of DNA content and cell size by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting. Subpopulations of “large” or “small” cells with the same (G1) DNA content were clonally expanded and found to contain predominantly nondividing or highly proliferative cells, respectively. From the rate of clonal growth, we deduce that small cells divide faster than large cells. Intermediate‐sized cells were found to yield primarily smaller (“attenuated”) clones. The clonal data can be incorporated into a previously reported kinetic model of clonal attenuation. This version of the model postulates that small “stem” cells yield larger daughters which have only a limited proliferative potential. We also postulate that a progressive increase in cell size can account for the decreasing concentration of DNA polymerase alpha, which has been reported in older cultures.