Effects of cell cycle specific exposure to 3H-thymidine or 3H-arginine on development and cell proliferation of mouse embryos

One-cell mouse embryos were exposed to either ³H-thymidine (100 or 200 kBq/ml) or ³H-arginine (2.5 to 50 kBq/ml) for 2 h either in G₁, S or G₂ phase. ³H-Arginine affected embryonic development and cell proliferation in an activity-dependent way irrespective of the cell cycle stage exposed, whereas ³H-thymidine was effective only at higher activities and only after exposure during S phase. Received: 12 July 1996 / Accepted in revised form: 30 September 1996