Ultrasound lethality to synchronous and asynchronous chinese hamster V-79 cells

Chinese hamster V-79 cells were exposed in suspensions for 1-15 min to 1.1 MHz continuous wave (CW) ultrasound at axial intensifies from 0.25-30 W/cm². Cell lysis was evidenced by a decrease in the number of intact cells, and loss of reproductive integrity was evidenced by a decrease in the plating efficiency of the remaining intact cells. The magnitude of these effects was a function of both intensity and exposure duration. Mitotically synchronized cells displayed a differential sensitivity depending upon cell cycle position. The M and S phases of the cell cycle were more resistant with respect to cell lysis and loss of reproductive integrity than were the G₁ and G₂ phases.