Effect of temperature variation on sister-chromatid exchange and cell-cycle duration in cultured human lymphocytes

The relation of temperature variation and cell-cycle duration and their influence on SCE frequencies in human peripheral blood lymphocytes was studied. The results indicate that the frequency of SCEs is affected by variation in temperature. Either increase or decrease in the incubation temperature of cells leads to a higher frequency of SCEs than in control cultures grown at 37 degrees C. With a decrease in temperature to 35 degrees C the increase in SCE is accompanied by prolonged cell cycle. No significant difference in cell cycle was observed with the increase of temperature to 39 degrees C.