Repair of potentially lethal damage in unfed plateau phase cultures of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells. I. Suspension cultures.

Plateau phase EAT-cells have been irradiated at different times in the plateau phase and their ability to repair PLD has been measured. A large capacity to repair PLD has been observed if the cultures are kept in the plateau phase for some hours after irradiation before diluting and plating to measure the survival. In combination with theoretical considerations we concluded that almost all the PLD produced under these conditions can be repaired. The reaction rate of this repair is independent of the dose and the age of the culture. The results also indicate that PLD repair is independent of the intercellular contact of EAT-cells.