A general method for evaluating the cell cycle time in mammalian epidermis.
A method is proposed for the evaluation of the cell cycle time of in vivo steady state populations. It requires only an accurate estimation of either the labelling index or the mitotic index and an approximate evaluation of the period between the initiation of the S phase and the completion of mitosis. The method proposed takes into account the fact that the cell cycle is non-deterministic, the angle at which cells divide and the effect of cell extrusion from the basal layer, plus the fact that the cells can only be extruded when in certain phases of the cell cycle. Limitations of other methods recently reported are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis; D008940:Mitotic Index; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors