Changes in membrane potential during the cell cycle.

Abstract The membrane potential of isolated synchronized Chinese hamster lung cells (V79) has been determined as a function of their position in the cell cycle. During G 1 the cells exhibit a low but increasing membrane potential which rises sharply at the onset of the S phase. The elevated membrane potential is maintained throughout S and G 2 and declines again when the cells enter mitosis. Membrane potentials in an unsynchronized culture, which was recorded from both mitotic and interphase cells physically associated in groups and clusters, were similar to the plateau level obtained during S and G 2 in isolated synchronized cells, and exhibited little variation. It is concluded that although the membrane potential of isolated cells fluctuates during the cell cycle, it plays no causal role as a regulator of mitotic activity.