Shortening of the Cell‐Cycle Time of Erythroid Precursors in Response to Anaemia

Summary: The method of labelled mitoses has been used to obtain estimates of the cell‐cycle time (and of its constituent phases) of erythroid precursors in normal adult rats, and in adult rats subjected to transient and protracted anaemias. It has been shown that considerable reductions occur in the cycle time in the anaemic rats, and that these reductions are due to decrease in the duration of both the S and G 1 phases. The decreased cycle time is discussed in relation to the number of divisions that the erythroid precursors undergo during maturation.