INVITRO PROPAGATION OF PROSTATE ADENOCARCINOMA CELLS FROM RATS

Abstract

Two rat adenocarcinomas were physically dispersed and propagated in vitro. Epithelial and fibroblast cell lines were cloned from them and the monolayer cell lines derived thereof were further characterized. The cells produced acid phosphatase in early in vitro cell passages, and later they turned negative. Fibroblast-like cells produced no tumors when implanted in syngeneic Lobund-Wistar rats, but as few as 10 epithelial cells produced metastasizing adenocarcinomas in them. A 3rd prostate tumor yielded a line of epithelial cells which reproduced the original tumor type in inoculated rats, but the cells have not yet been characterized. Rat prostate adenocarcinomas provide a useful model system for in vitro and in vivo studies on prostate cancer and metastasis.