Propagation of Measles Virus in a Strain of Human Epidermoid Cancer Cells (Hep-2).

Abstract

Measles virus was adapted to a cancer cell strain derived from a human epithelioma. The Hep-2 cell strain provides a particularly useful system for the study of measles because of its growth characteristics in media free of human serum, its freedom from latent cytopathogenic agents, and the high yields of virus that may be rapidly obtained. After adaptation to Hep-2 the virus was still capable of infecting monkeys but caused little or no illness.