Mercury toxicity to hemopoietic and tumor colony-forming cells and its reversal by selenium in vitro

Inorganic and organic mercury, in micromolar concentrations, inhibited colony formation in primary cultures of mouse bone marrow and in P815 mouse mastocytoma cultures. When selenium, in the form of selenous acid, was added to cell cultures, it was able to prevent the inhibition of colony formation caused by continuous exposure to inorganic mercury in P815 cell cultures and primary cultures of bone marrow. Selenite was also able to prevent colony inhibition resulting from continuous exposure to methylmercury in P815 cell cultures, but failed to prevent colony inhibition in primary cultures of bone marrow. In consideration of the overall effect of methylmercury, the bone marrow is a potential site of toxicity.