The effect of lead on protein and DNA metabolism of normal and lead-adapted rat kidney cells in culture

Cultures of epithelial rat kidney cells were used to investigate the effect of lead on protein and DNA metabolism. Lead adapted cells were cultured in 5 and 10 μM Pb(NO3)2 for several months and subsequently showed the same growth characteristics but a higher resistance to increased lead doses than untreated cells. Both normal and adapted cell types were exposed to lead nitrate in concentrations from 5 to 1000 μM for incubation periods of from 1 to 24 h.