Abstract

Rapidly growing and apparently permanent cultures were established from hematopoietic cells from two staff members with no known malignant disease. The cell lines were similar to those derived from leukocytes from the peripheral blood of patients with malignancies of either hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic origin and to the lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from Burkitt's lymphoma. Both cell lines contained a herpetic-like virus (leukovirus), produced immunoglobulins, and grew rapidly in various suspension cultures.