Abstract
Using mercuric chloride, we examined the in vitro resistance of HaLa cells to mercury. Several modes of cell treatment were studied, including a 6-hour treatment followed by either 24 or 96 hours of cultivation in fresh medium as a recovery phase. The above combination was also repeated up to three times. Resistance occurred after exposure to the chemical at a level greater than 5μM, and also in treatments without cell recovery or with 24-hour recovery phases. The resistance of cells to mercuric chloride might reflect cellular changes induced by the noxious substance. This possibility should be considered in biomaterial testing when elucidating the physiological role of the cells.
