LENGTH OF CELL-CYCLE INVITRO AND SISTER-CHROMATID EXCHANGE (SCE) FREQUENCY IN BONE-MARROW CELLS FROM SEVERELY MALNOURISHED RATS

Cell proliferation and SCE frequency were evaluated through differential staining of sister chromatids in cultured bone marrow cells from rats malnourished during the lactation period. Cell proliferation was studied in vitro in sequential analysis every 5 h in cultures from 20 to 40 h of incubation. Results show a longer generation cycle in malnourished rat cells, revealing a delay in cell proliferation. Cells of this group of animals showed a higher percentage of first-cycle metaphases and lacked third-cycle metaphases even after 40 h of culture. This shows that the damage caused to cells of undernourished organisms used in this experiment persists even when they are placed in a nutrient-rich medium. The SCE frequency did not show differences between malnourished rats and their controls. © 1990.