Organization Of Epithelial Cells Research Articles

Sustained growth and three-dimensional organization of primary mammary tumor epithelial cells embedded in collagen gels.

We have developed a method for embedding cells within a collagen matrix which allows sustained growth of mouse mammary tumor epithelial cells in primary culture. A characteristic and reproducible pattern of organization and growth occurs: the cells rearrange themselves and produce duct-like structures extending into the matrix, resulting in a three-dimensional outgrowth. Autoradiography showed continuous [3H]thymidine incorporation during 8 weeks in culture. An increase in DNA content of the cultured cells as a function of time was observed. Mouse mammary tumor cells cultured in the conventional monolayer system failed to show any significant increase in cell number during a culture period of 6 weeks. In addition, in such monolayer systems, cells progressively became detached from the dishes in long-term culture. The mammary epithelial cell origin of the collagen gel cell outgrowths was shown by electron microscopic demonstration of polarized cells containing tight junctions and budding mammary tumor virus particles. In addition, in vivo transplantation of collagen gel outgrowths resulted in the development of mammary adenocarcinoma histologically similar to the donor tumor. Cellular outgrowth patterns resembling those from tumor cells were also seen in similar collagen gel cultures of normal mammary cells from mouse and human and of hyperplastic alveolar nodule cells from mouse. The significance and usefulness of this system in comparison to the conventional monolayer system are discussed.

Establishment of epithelial cell line MDA-MB-157 from metastatic pleural effusion of human breast carcinoma.

An epithelial cell line, MDA-MB-157, has been established from the pleural fluid of a metastatic human breast carcinoma. The cell line is characterized by rapid growth of cells in dense plaques and in suspension. The cells were originally isolated in a complex medium containing Leibovitz's L-15, Waymouth's MB752/1 and Ham's F-10 media with 16% fetal calf serum, glutathione, cortisol, insulin, and antibiotics. Recently cultures have been growing equally well on some less complex media such as RPMI-1640 with 20% fetal calf serum or Ham's F-10 with 20% fetal calf serum. The presence of typical epithelial cell organization, and structures such as desmosomes, have been observed by electron microscopy. Viruses and mycoplasmas were not detected. The cells exhibit a hypotriploid karyotype with mode of 64 to 66 chromosomes.