Changes in DNA polymerase activity associated with cell fusion in cultures of embryonic muscle

Abstract

Abstract In cultures of differentiating chicken embryo muscle cells there is a steep decline in DNA polymerase activity which closely parallels the time of rapid cell fusion and the formation of multinucleated myotubes. The DNA polymerase activity remaining in the cultures is almost completely associated with single unfused cells. Cell fusion does not require a confluent culture and fusion capability appears to be severely reduced in the remaining single cells following an approximately ten hour time period during which the majority of fusion takes place. A model is presented to explain the observed kinetics of cell growth and cell fusion in vitro.