Biochemical parameters correlated with tumour cell implantation.

Abstract

FIDLER1 has described melanoma cell lines produced by serial injection into and collection from C57 mice, some lines of which produce few pulmonary metastases while others have greatly increased metastatic potential. These cells also grow in culture and retain their respective metastatic or non-metastatic character1,2. These cell lines are particularly useful for studying metastasis since all cells are tumorigenic, and one is therefore not faced with making a choice of an appropriate ‘normal’ cell or tissue to act as a control with which to compare neoplastic or metastatic potential. Dr Fidler kindly supplied us with cell lines 26 (low metastasis) and 37 (high metastasis). Culture conditions and maintenance were as described1. Since metastasis would seem intuitively to be intimately concerned with plasma membrane properties, we initiated extensive studies on cell surface properties of these cells. We report here the results of these studies and some findings relating to cell growth that may define the process of cell metastasis. It should be pointed out, however, that under the conditions defining the cell lines, implantation, more than metastasis, is being studied. Metastasis implies the ability of a cell to leave a given tumour site, be transported to another site, and implant and grow there; in the studies described here only the last two conditions of metastasis obtain and hence implantation properties are probably being studied.