The use of conventional and zonal centrifugation to study the life cycle of mammalian cells. Phospholipid and macromolecular synthesis in neoplastic mast cells.

1. Conventional gradient centrifugation has been used to separate cells according to their position in the cell cycle, and to obtain synchronously growing cells. Analysis of prelabelled cells by gradient centrifugation confirms that phospholipid, protein and RNA synthesis is continuous throughout the cell cycle and shows that the rate of synthesis begins to increase already during the G(1) phase. The pattern of phospholipid degradation follows that of synthesis. 2. The limitations of conventional gradient centrifugation have been overcome by use of a zonal rotor. Analysis of prelabelled cells confirms the results obtained by conventional centrifugation and in addition shows that the rates of phospholipid, protein and RNA synthesis decrease during the G(2) phase. The mean cell volume and the net amount of phospholipid, protein and RNA, unlike that of DNA, are found to increase continuously throughout the intermitotic period. 3. These results show that the synthesis of macromolecules, and probably that of membranes also, is controlled by a mechanism other than that of gene dosage.