Polyploidization of Mouse H-1 (ES) Cells by Demecolcine and K-252a

Mouse H-1 (ES) cells (H-1 cells) were examined for polyploidization by demecolcine and K-252a. H-1 cells were highly polyploidized by both demecolcine and K-252a, and died 3 d after their addition, suggesting that polyploidized H-1 cells are sensitive to these drugs. The polyploidized H-1 cells showed alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting that the pluripotent potential of H-1 cells was maintained through out polyploidization. Although the polyploidized H-1 cells became tentatively diploid or tetraploid after the drug removal, the tetraploid H-1 cells reverted to diploid cells within a month.