ISOLATION AND SPONTANEOUS TRANSFORMATION OF CLONED LINES OF HAMSTER TRACHEAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 40  (12) , 4403-4409
Abstract
In respiratory carcinogenesis studies using rodents, the tracheal epithelium is the target tissue for the induction of tumors after exposure of animals to chemical carcinogens. Tracheal epithelial cells were isolated to evaluate their biological and biochemical features. Epithelial cells derived from the tracheal mucosa of Syrian golden hamsters were established in culture. Three morphological types of polygonal cells were observed as mixed populations in 4 clonally derived lines. One type of cell is mucin secreting. Cells of a 2nd type possess intracytoplasmic and surface cilia, but they lack mucin vesicles. The 3rd type exhibits no differentiating features. Four density-dependent inhibited cloned cell lines were established. After repeated passage, these cells: grew in soft agar; released proteases that were activators of plasminogen; demonstrated measurable basal and inducible aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity; and produced anaplastic carcinomas in syngeneic hamsters. Factors affecting the transformation and differentiation of respiratory epithelial cells have not been elucidated. The availability of these cell lines will permit studies that focus on these questions.