Separation of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells from other cellular elements.

Abstract

THE experimental production of ascites tumours has offered an ideal material for biological, physiological and biochemical research on neoplastic cells1. For many problems, however, the variable admixture of leucocytes and other contaminating host cells in the ascites tumours (cf. ref. 1) implies a source of error which in certain cases may be of great importance. We have therefore investigated the possibility of reducing the concentration of such cells with the aid of a counter-streaming centrifuge, the principle of which has already been described by one of us (P. E. L.)2. In this centrifuge, constructed mainly for the separation of differently sized particles of the same specific density, liquid containing the particles to be separated is forced to stream through a conical centrifuge tube against the centrifugal force. Here the bigger particles down to a required size are concentrated (fraction M), whereas the smaller ones are carried off by the continuous stream of liquid to a second tube of a different shape where they are made to sediment (fraction G).