ESTABLISHMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A FIBROUS HISTIOCYTOMA CELL-LINE (NMSG-10) DERIVED FROM A MALIGNANT FIBROUS HISTIOCYTOMA

A fibrous histiocytoma cell line, NMSG 10, was derived from a malignan t fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), of human tibia, and its characteristics were examined. MFH was a pleomorphic subtype associated with myxoid an d storiform areas. Primary culture revealed a mixture of histiocyte-li ke cells, fibroblast-like cells and giant cells, but fibroblast-like c ells became the major population after several passages in vitro. In a ddition, NMSG 10 produced a large amount of viscous material which sta ined with alcian blue and was digested by hyaluronidase. Thus, this vi scous material was a single component of glycosaminoglycans: hyaluroni c acid (HA). The cells were spindle-shaped with well-developed cytopla smic organelles and collagenous filaments, and a colloid iron-positive substance was observed in intercellular spaces. In scid mice, the mix ed populations of neoplastic cells appeared similar in histology to th at of the original tumor. These findings indicated that NMSG 10 expres ses the unique properties of MFH, and should therefore be useful in st udies on the biological behavior, and especially the presence of HA in MFH.