Uptake and egress of cadmium in cultures of cadmium-resistant and the corresponding "wild-type" cells.

Development of resistance against the highly toxic Cd++ion has been described earlier both in animals, cell cultures and in bacteria. In this paper we have tested if decreased intracellular concentration of Cd plays a role in resistance to Cd in three mammalian cell cultures. The cells originated from different tissue and from two different species. Cd-resistant and corresponding "wild-type" strains were used. The results from all three lines show essentially the same, namely that there is no significant difference in Cd content between the Cd-resistant and the non-resistant cells. The resistant cells from all three lines grow continuously with a cellular Cd-content which is several times higher than that killing all cells of the non-resistant "wild-type".