Continuous, clonal, insulin- and somatostatin-secreting cell lines established from a transplantable rat islet cell tumor.

TLDR

Continuous cell lines that secrete both insulin and somatostatin were established from a serially transplantable, radiation‑induced rat islet cell tumor, with RIN‑r derived from inbred rats and RIN‑m from athymic nude mice. The resulting RIN‑r and RIN‑m lines are epithelioid, fibroblast‑free, clonable, hypodiploid, tumorigenic, possess high L‑dopa decarboxylase activity and formaldehyde fluorescence, and exhibit a range of insulin secretion from undetectable to high, providing useful models for insulin and somatostatin biology.

Abstract

Continuous cell lines that secrete both insulin and somatostatin were established by two cooperating groups of investiagtors from a serially transplantable, radiation-induced, rat islet cell tumor. The cell lines, named RIN-r and RIN-m, were initiated from tumors maintained in inbred rats or in athymic nude mice, respectively. The cultured cells are epithelioid, free of fibroblast contamination, and can be cloned. They have a hypodiploid chromosome number, are tumorigenic, and posses amine-handling properties, including high levels of L-dopa decarboxylase and formaldehyde-induced fluorescence. Preliminary analysis of clones revealed a spectrum of insulin secretion from undetectable to relatively high. These clonal cell lines provide important systems to study the biology of insulin and somatostatin.