Physiological and morphological studies of rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) chemically fused and grown in culture.

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Abstract
Cell fusion induced by polyethylene glycol was used to produce in culture giant multinucleate PC12 [rat pheochromocytoma] cells (up to 300 .mu.m in diameter, compared to 10-20 .mu.m for unfused cells). Fused cells, like their unfused counterparts, expressed various neuronal properties. They contained catecholamines. In the presence of nerve growth factor, they extended long processes and expressed Na+, Ca2+ and K+ conductances generally associated with excitable cells. In the absence of nerve growth factor these cells neither grew long processes nor generated Na+-spikes. [The PC12 clonal cell line is a useful model for studying neuronal properties.].