Cell culture synchronisation : Cells in suspension cultures vary greatly in size, shape, DNA, and nuclear content. Moreover, the cell cycle time varies considerably within individual cells. Therefore, cell cultures are mostly asynchronous. It is essential to manipulate the growth conditions of an asynchronous culture in order to achieve a higher degree of synchronisation. A synchronous culture is one in which the majority of cells proceed through each cell cycle phase (Gl, S, G2 and M) simultaneously. Synchronisation can be achieved by following methods.
• Physical methods include selection by volume (size of cell aggregate.)
• Chemical methods include starvation (depriving suspension cultures of an essential growth compound and culture supplying).
• Chemical methods include inhibition (temporarily blocking the progression of events in the cell cycle using a biochemical inhibitor and then releasing the block).
