Haploid cells in rat kangaroo corneal endothelium cultures and x-ray-induced chromosome aberrations.

N the reproduction of mammals? germ cells undergo two maturation divisions I to yield haploid gametes which, through union with gametes from the opposite sex, give rise to the next generation. Based on the existence of haploid status in gametes, investigators in the 1940’s and 50’s experimentally induced haploid cells in parthenogenetically developed blastocysts or in very early embryos of rabbits (AMOROSO and PARKES 1947), rats (AUSTIN and BRADEN 1954), and mice (BEATTY 1954; EDWARDS 1958). FREED (1962) and FREED and MEZGER-FREED ( 1969) successfully established haploid cell lines from androgenetic frog embryos. We have noted the presence of haploid cells in cell cultures derived from a somatic tissue. corneal endothelium of an adult rat kangaroo, and have used X rays to induce chromosome aberrations in the haploid cells. Owing to the advantages of using mammalian haploid cell lines in mutagenic studies, cloning and selective isolation experiments are underway in an attempt to establish haploid cell lines from these cultures.