Distribution of Desoxyribose Nucleic Acid in Tumor Nuclei. ∗

Summary

The relative amounts of DNA per nucleus in individual nuclei of 5 different tumor tissues, measured by absorption micro-spectrophotometry in Feulgen-stained sections, are largely distributed into classes in a geometric progression (1:2:4). The tumors showed increases in DNA amounts as compared with homologous control tissue with the exception of a benign papilloma. The occurrence of intermediate values and increased DNA classes is considered to be an expression of changes in chromosome content associated with mitosis and polyploidy rather than a disturbance in nucleic acid synthesis.