CLONAL ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLICATION INDEPENDENCE OF TUMOR-CELLS FROM SUBSTRATUM

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 18  (3) , 434-440
Abstract
The clone of near-diploid mouse transformed CAK-25AGr cells is characterized by the stable cloning efficiency in a semi-solid medium (.apprx. 10-5/cell plated in methylcellulose). Colonies in the semi-solid medium were formed by rare single cells and did not arise as a result of slow multiplication of all cells in the population. These cells are not genetic variants of other cells in the culture. This is assumed because 9 of the 12 subclones arising in methylcellulose retained parental cloning efficiency in the semi-solid medium, and all 6 subclones picked from the solid substratum had the ability to form colonies in methylcellulose with a frequency as great as that of the parental clone. Apparently, the proliferation in methylcellulose of the transformed cells studied is a stochastic process. Each cell in the culture has the ability to initiate a colony in the semi-solid medium with a certain probability. This probability is a heritable characteristic of the cloned cell line. It is possible that this characteristic reflects the norm of reaction of the cells to some environmental factors.