Biological methods for cell-cycle synchronization of mammalian cells

Understanding the molecular and biochemical basis of cellular growth and di vision involves the investigation of regulatory events that most often occu r in a cell-cycle phase-dependent fashion. Studies examining cell-cycle reg ulatory mechanisms and progression invariably requite cell-cycle synchroniz ation of cell populations. Thus, many methods have been established to sync hronize cells at specific phases of the cell cycle. Several of the common m ethods involve pharmacological agents, which act at various points througho ut the cell cycle. Because of adverse cellular perturbations resulting from many of the synchronizing drugs used other synchrony methods that involve less perturbation of biological systems, such as serum deprivation, contact inhibition, and centrifugal elutriation have a significant advantage. The advantages and disadvantages of these cell synchronization methods are disc ussed in this review.