Elsevier

Experimental Cell Research

Volume 25, Issue 3, December 1961, Pages 585-621
Experimental Cell Research

The serial cultivation of human diploid cell strains

https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(61)90192-6Get rights and content

Abstract

The isolation and characterization of 25 strains of human diploid fibroblasts derived from fetuses are described. Routine tissue culture techniques were employed. Other than maintenance of the diploid karyotype, ten other criteria serve to distinguish these strains from heteroploid cell lines. These include retention of sex chromatin, histotypical differentiation, inadaptability to suspended culture, non-malignant characteristics in vivo, finite limit of cultivation, similar virus spectrum to primary tissue, similar cell morphology to primary tissue, increased acid production compared to cell lines, retention of Coxsackie A9 receptor substance, and ease with which strains can be developed.

Survival of cell strains at − 70 °C with retention of all characteristics insures an almost unlimited supply of any strain regardless of the fact that they degenerate after about 50 subcultivations and one year in culture. A consideration of the cause of the eventual degeneration of these strains leads to the hypothesis that non-cumulative external factors are excluded and that the phenomenon is attributable to intrinsic factors which are expressed as senescence at the cellular level.

With these characteristics and their extremely broad virus spectrum, the use of diploid human cell strains for human virus vaccine production is suggested. In view of these observations a number of terms used by cell culturists are redefined.

References (62)

  • M. Abercrombie et al.

    Exptl. Cell Research

    (1954)
  • L. Hayflick

    Exptl. Cell Research

    (1961)
  • P.S. Moorhead et al.

    Exptl. Cell Research

    (1960)
  • T.M. Sonneborn

    Advances in Virus Research

    (1959)
  • D.A.J. Tyrrell et al.

    Lancet

    (1960)
  • A.G. Baikie et al.

    Nature

    (1960)
  • M.L. Barr

    Am. J. Human Genet

    (1960)
  • L. Berman et al.

    Cancer Research

    (1957)
  • E.H.Y. Chu et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1958)
  • S.H. DeWitt et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1959)
  • R. Dulbecco et al.

    J. Exptl. Med

    (1954)
  • H. Eagle

    J. Exptl. Med

    (1955)
  • H. Eagle

    Science

    (1959)
  • P. Fenje

    Can. J. Microbiol

    (1960)
  • M.V. Fernandes

    Texas Repts. Biol. Med

    (1958)
  • G.E. Foley et al.
  • G.E. Foley et al.

    Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci

    (1958)
  • D.K. Ford et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1958)
  • A.H. Handler et al.
  • T.S. Hauschka et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1958)
  • L. Hayflick

    Nature

    (1960)
  • L. Hayflick et al.

    Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci

    (1960)
  • T.C. Hsu

    Texas Repts. Biol. Med

    (1960)
  • T.C. Hsu et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1958)
  • T.C. Hsu et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1957)
  • T.C. Hsu et al.

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst

    (1957)
  • R.N. Hull et al.

    Am. J. Hyg

    (1958)
  • Kaplan, M. M., (personal...
  • M.M. Kaplan et al.

    Bull. World Health Organization

    (1960)
  • R.E. Kissling
  • H.P. Klinger et al.

    J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol

    (1960)
  • Cited by (0)

    This investigation was supported by a research grant (C-4534) from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service.

    View full text