Establishment of an α‐Fetoprotein‐producing Gastric Cancer Cell Line in Serum‐free Media

Abstract
A new cell line, designated Ist‐1, was established in serum‐free medium from a 63‐year‐old gastric cancer patient with an extremely high serum level of α‐fetoprotein (AFP). ISt‐1 exhibited a typical morphology of epithelial cells in culture. The population doubling time was 31 hours. Production of AFP was demonstrated by immmunohistochemical study and high levels of AFP were detected in the conditioned medium of ISt‐1 cells. Ist‐1 is considered to be an AFP‐producing gastric cancer cell line and will provide a useful tool for the study of production and secretion of AFP from cells.