APOPTOSIS, CELL-PROLIFERATION AND IN-VIVO BIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF PRIMARY AND METASTATIC TUMOR-CELLS OF AN AKR LYMPHOMA VARIANT

The possibility that apoptosis and/or cell proliferation have a role i n tumour progression in a murine T cell lymphoma was tested. The model consisted of the comparison of primary (PT) and metastatic tumour (MT ) cells. The PT cells, but not the MT cells displayed a very pronounce d tendency for spontaneous apoptosis. Proliferative capacity of MT cel ls was lower than that of PT cells, suggesting that it does not contri bute to the metastatic phenotype in this system. Release from apoptosi s does however, probably, play a role in the aggressiveness of the lym phoma.