Method for selecting cells during various phases of the mitotic cycle

Exponentially growing L5178Y cells in suspension culture were separated according to their position in the cell cycle on the basis of their volume with a velocity sedimentation method in which a linear and continuous ficoll gradient was used. Highly purified populations of G1 and S cells were obtained, containing about 90% G1 phase cells and 80% S phase cells. The method is rapid and a larger number of cells can be easily processed with no loss of viability.