Serum Dependence in Proliferation of Diploid and Tetraploid Meth-A Cells

To examine cellular changes after diploid-tetraploid transformation in mammalian cells, tetraploid Meth-A cells, which were established from diploid cell line, were compared to the parent diploid cells for serum dependence of growth. Tetraploid Meth-A cells showed a high tolerance for low serum concentrations and could proliferate in a serum-free medium, differing from the parent diploid cells. It was suggested that diploid-tetraploid transition of Meth-A cells resulted in induction of a new cellular function, being that hyperploid cells can proliferate in sever circumstance for nutriments.