Retention of Differentiated Function in Clonal Animal Cell Lines, Particularly Hormone-Secreting Cultures

Abstract

Clonal hormone-secreting cell lines have been established from animal tumors. These lines include adrenal steroid-secreting cells, growth hormone-secreting cells, steroid-secreting Leydig cells, and ACTH-secreting cells that retain their differentiated function for prolonged periods in continuous culture. In addition, fibroblast cell lines that secrete a material which stimulates steroidogenesis by adrenal cells and Leydig cells are described. A systematic approach to obtain functional cultures and the general problem of retention of differentiated function in cultured cells are discussed.