Evidence for formation of somatic cell hybrids in a population of irradiated cells.

Experiments using two genetically marked lines of Djungarian hamster cells (DM-15 HPRT- and DH-TK-) and the technique of hybrid selection in selective HAT medium revealed viable colonies in a mixed culture irradiated with a dose of 5 Gy. The sublines grown from these colonies were examined. Chromosome analysis showed that about 45% of those cells were hybrids inheriting chromosome markers of both parent strains.