Comparison of thymidine, fluorodeoxyuridine, hydroxyurea, and methotrexate blocking at the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle, studied by replication patterns.

Cultures of human amniotic fluid cells and fibroblasts were temporarily blocked by the replication inhibitors thymidine (dT) surplus, fluorodeoxyuridine (FdU), hydroxyurea (HU), or methotrexate uridine (MU). The respective arresting point at G1-S transition and the homogeneity of the blocked cell population were determined by means of BrdU replication patterns. Most variation of patterns were found after HU. After MU, cells were arrested before the onset of replication, while with dT surplus of FdU an arresting point in early S seemed more likely.