Water permeability changes studied by 17O nuclear magnetic resonance during differentiation of Friend leukemia cells.

Water permeability of Friend leukemia cells was studied by 17O nuclear magnetic resonance during differentiation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO). While in noninduced cells water permeability was essentially constant during the growth period, in the Me2SO-induced cells there were two distinct periods at which the water permeability was increased by at least an order of magnitude. These periods correspond to approximately one doubling time and 6 days of growth. This change in water permeability is not due to direct interaction of Me2SO with the membrane but must be ascribed to structural changes in the membrane during the course of differentiation.