Tissue culture studies; the relationship of incorporation of radioactive phosphorus in nucleic acid to the growth of cells in vitro.

Growing cultures are shown to incorporate more radioactive phosphorus into ribo- and desoxyribonucleic acid than non-growing cultures. Strong indications are found that the incorporation of inorganic phosphorus into desoxyribonucleic acid parallels the mitotic coefficient and serves as a sensitive index of synthesis of new cells. There are indications that the phosphorus compounds from which the DNA molecule was synthesized were in equilibrium with the inorganic phosphorus of the medium. The effect of the implant upon growth of new cells and the assay of growth is discussed. Metabolic turnover was increased in adequate medium.