Abstract

A Self-Consistent Approach to the Lag Phase of Planktonic Microbial Cultures

Schiraldi A

There is no increase of cell density during the lag phase. The cells start duplication with a pace (generation time) that is progressively adjusted during the growth span. This process implies the obvious assumption that the progress of the microbial population via duplication mechanism obeys the law of population density and generation time. This article supports the reliability of the assumption that slope and duration of lag-phase practically counterbalance each other, the small discrepancies being due to the scarcity of the available data and the related uncertainty of estimation, as well as to the fact that the relevant growth process occurred in non-planktonic conditions.