Summary
This paper is concerned with the techniques of testing for antimitotic activity of externally applied stimuli, chemical or physical. Some standard reactions such as “c-mitosis”, prophase poisoning, mitotic inhibition and chromosome damage are illustrated and the problems of interpretation and misinterpretation are discussed. The general conclusion has been reached that antimitotic action is generally the result of 1. interference with structural change through altering energy flow or resonance and 2. by interference with metabolic processes through blockage of specific enzymes.
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This paper is dedicated to Dr. Hans Bauer on the occasion of his 60th birthday in recognition of his fundamental and pioneer contributions to both Cytology and Cytogenetics.
The work of this laboratory to which reference has been made has been supported by a number of agencies: The Office of Naval Research, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Cancer Society and the Michigan State Agricultural Experiment Station.
I wish to express my gratitude to the considerable number of senior associates, students and technicians who over the years have contributed extensively to the work summarized in this paper.
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Wilson, G.B. The assay of antimitotics. Chromosoma 16, 133–143 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00320943
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00320943