title: On the duration of mitotic stages in senescing human fibroblasts in culture.
abstract: The duration of three mitotic periods was measured by time-lapse cinemicrography in a line of normal human fibroblasts which displays the phenomenon of limited growth potential in vitro. It was found that the durations of metaphase and anaphase did not change as a function of passage level but that there was a statistically significant increase in the duration of cytokinesis. It was also found that there was no progressive increase in the variance of these periods between early and late passage cells. The data suggest that for those late passage cells which still retain the capacity to divide, the cellular mechanisms responsible for the synthesis of functional proteins, energy regulation and at least some membrane functions appear to be working normally.
mesh_terms: D000705:Anaphase; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase; D008938:Mitosis; D009040:Motion Pictures; D013692:Telophase