Senescent cells fail to respond to serum-induced signals for DNA synthesis. Because a central role for the p34cdc2 protein kinase is postulated in control of the cell cycle, we examined the status of this kinase in senescent cells and other growth-arrested cells. In growing human and Syrian hamster fibroblasts, three 35S-labeled proteins of 34-36 kDa were immunoprecipitated with p34cdc2 antiserum. Only the two slower migrating forms were phosphorylated as determined by 32P labelling. In senescent cells, which failed to incorporate [3H]thymidine, no p34cdc2 protein was synthesized and very little or no cdc2 mRNA was observed. When maintained for 48 h in 0.5% serum, young cells also retained only marginal cdc2 expression. After stimulation of low serum-arrested cells by addition of 10% serum, a time-dependent increase of cdc2 mRNA was observed, whereas serum stimulation of senescent cells did not increase cdc2 mRNA. In contrast to senescent and low serum-arrested cells, cdc2 mRNA was expressed at normal levels in cells partially growth arrested by isoleucine deficiency in G1, by aphidicolin at G1-S, by etoposide in G2, or by Colcemid in the M phase of the cell cycle, indicating that cdc2 down-regulation does not always occur upon growth arrest. Following transfection of a plasmid containing the human CDC2 gene into hamster cells, expression of human cdc2 failed to overcome the block to DNA synthesis in senescent cells. Although p34cdc2 was synthesized in the transfected cells, the multiple phosphorylated forms of the proteins were not observed. Taken together, these data support the concept that a chain of events leads to senescence. While p34cdc2 kinase may be one of the critical elements, other cell cycle controls are also involved.