EFFECTS OF HEAT ON CENTROSOMES OF CHINESE-HAMSTER OVARY CELLS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (8) , 2290-2294
Abstract
The increasing use of hyperthermia in cancer therapy generated interest on the effects of heat on cells, in vivo and in vitro. Chinese hamster ovary [CHO] cells were heated at 45.5.degree. C for 15 min or at 42.degree. C for 1 h and then were fixed immediately or allowed to recover at 37.degree. C for intervals of up to 12 h. Control cells and cells heated at 45.5.degree. C for 15 min were immediately subjected to a cell fractionation procedure that yielded partially purified centrosome preparations. In 100% of the cells fixed and examined immediately after heating, the centrosomes were damaged. The osmiophilic cloud increased in density and became aggregated. The majority of the pericentriolar particles or virus-like particles disappeared, and in some cases the tubules of the wall of the centriole appeared disrupted. These changes were also noted in the much more abundant population of centrosomes in the partially purified cell fraction. In those cells heated at 45.5.degree. C for 15 min, no recovery of the centrosomes or return of virus-like particles occurred even after incubation at 37.degree. C for 12 h.