Effect of hypothermia (20-25 degrees C) on mitosis in PtK1 cells.

PtK1 cells enter prophase and complete mitosis at 24-25 degrees C but are inhibited from entering prophase at 20-21 degrees C. Cells which have progressed up to midprophase at 24-37 degrees C return to interphase when cooled to 20-21 degrees C, but those in late prophase complete a normal, although prolonged mitosis. If prophase cells which have reverted to interphase at 20-21 degrees C are incubated at 24-37 degrees C they reenter prophase and complete mitosis. This temperature-induced prophase-interphase-prophase transition can be repeated several times on the same cell. At 24-25 degrees C the process of spindle formation (i.e. prometaphase to the initiation of anaphase) encompasses approximately 75% of the total mitotic interval, with a duration of 8-12 h, compared to about 50% of the mitotic interval and a duration of 0.5 to 1.0 h at 37 degrees C.