Cadmium uptake and its effects on growth of tobacco cell suspension cultures.

Cadmium uptake and its effects on growth of tobacco cell suspension cultures were examined. Cadmium was shown to accumulate in cells at two or more times the level in the surrounding culture medium. Dry weight accumulation and packed cell volume of the cultures were increased by exposure to 5 ppm Cd in the medium, but exposure to ≥10 ppm Cd resulted in decreased growth. Mitotic indices and total DNA levels indicate that cadmium reduces the rate of cell division at all levels examined.