title: Reversible retention of synchronized HeLa cells in G2 of the mammalian cell cycle.
abstract: The rate of progression of cycling HeLa cells from G2 into mitosis is greatly reduced by the amino acid analogue, p-fluorophenylalanine, but a small percentage of cells continually escapes into mitosis. Most of a presynchronized population can be held for several h in G2, thereby facilitating analyses of cells at this late stage of the cell cycle. They are reversed from the block by the addition of phenylalanine and resume progression within about 1 h with predictable kinetics but without a significantly enhanced synchrony. The mechanism of action of the analogue is consistent with the hypothesis that synthesis of false proteins interferes with the correct assembly of division-relevant structures.
mesh_terms: D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase / Q000187:drug effects*; D007700:Kinetics; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011418:Prophase / Q000187:drug effects; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D010135:p-Fluorophenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010649:Phenylalanine; D010135:p-Fluorophenylalanine