Lithium Alters Mitotic Progression in Stamen Hair Cells of Tradescantia in a Time-Dependent and Reversible Fashion
October 1987
in “
PubMed
”
Studysummary This study found that treating Tradescantia stamen hair cells with LiCl disrupts mitotic progression, leading to metaphase arrest, which can be reversed by myo-inositol or CaCl2 addition. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study found that lithium chloride (LiCl) altered the mitotic progression in stamen hair cells of Tradescantia in a time-dependent and reversible manner. Treatment with 50 µM to 1 mM LiCl during late prophase caused over 80% of cells to fail to enter metaphase, with many becoming arrested in metaphase. This arrest could be reversed by adding 10 µM myo-inositol or 100 µM CaCl2, with CaCl2 acting faster. The study suggested that myo-inositol and Ca2+ might influence different biochemical pathways necessary for anaphase onset. Additionally, LiCl treatment in mid-late-metaphase arrested chromosome separation, which could also be reversed by myo-inositol or CaCl2.
