Hello Deepak

During cell division mammalian cells undergo series of structural changes when they enter mitosis. In adherent cells, in early prophase cells decrease substrate adhesion and round up to assume a spherical shape. This process of cell rounding in early mitosis facilitates successful cell division as it ensures sufficient space within cells to form mitotic spindle.

The change in shape is caused by loss of adhesion to the substratum by disassembling of integrin-containing focal adhesion complexes that anchor cells to ECM, and cells remain loosely attached by means of beta-1-integrin containing retraction fibres.

So, during cell division the cells in culture round up and are loosely attached to substratum or even in some cases are floating as you have mentioned.

Best Wishes.

There is also a change in the charge on the cell surface which decreases adhesion as the cells progress into mitosis. Check out the mitotic cell selection procedure. If you have access to both bacterial and mammalian cell culture petri dishes, you notice that the mammalian cells will not attach to the bacterial petris because they have not been treated to grow adherent mammalian cells.

Thanks a lot to Malcolm Nobre and Martin Schneiderman for your valuable reply.

Hello Deepak,

I agree with what was mentioned by Malcolm Nobre and Martin Schneiderman.

Also, HeLa cells have that characteristic, and they are still useful and viable, only that by adapting to that change they can lose or alter some functions.

I am attaching a literature in case it helps you.

Best regards,

Thanks a lot Yareellys Ramos Zayas, it really helped me.

You welcome!