Mating pheromone treatment resulting in shmoo formation is a physiologically relevant model for separation of cell growth and division processes in the yeast Saccharomyces cereuisiae. Using this attitude we demonstrate that yeast loses its capacity for division at a faster rate when engaged in intensive growth and metabolism without cell divisions (in the shmoo state) than during normal reproductive growth. These results suggest that limitation of the division potential in the yeast is not due to a counter of cell divisions but is of growth/metabolic nature, perhaps involving attaining a limitation of cell volume. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.