DIFFERENTIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF L CELLS IN THE EXPONENTIAL AND STATIONARY PHASES TO CADMIUM CHLORIDE

Abstract

Comparative studies of the cellular toxicity and uptake of cadmium in L cells in the exponential and stationary phases were done. The LD50 of cadmium chloride to L cells in the exponential and stationary phases was 5.5 and 30.5 μM, respectively and the cadmium content of L cells exposed to 5.5 μM cadmium chloride for 3.5 hr in the exponential and stationary phases was 0.123 and 0.065 μg 10⁶ cells, respectively. These results suggest that the higher susceptibility of cells in the exponential phase to cadmium may be caused by an increased permeability of the cell membrane to cadmium.