ESTABLISHMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A CYTOTROPHOBLAST CELL-LINE FROM NORMAL PLACENTA OF HUMAN-ORIGIN

A cell line has been established from human placentae at the first tri mester of normal pregnancy, The cell line was obtained by culture of p urified cytotrophoblast cells in serum-free medium supplemented with e pidermal growth factor, insulin, dexamethasone and 0.1% bovine serum a lbumin, The cells can be subcultured for >30 passages in one to three splits, All the cells were mononuclear epitheliallike cells positive t o cytokeratin 18, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), neuropeptide Y, neurotensin, leucine-enkephalin, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine immunocytochemical staining, The cells secreted GnRH, progesterone and oestradiol (in the presence of testosterone) but little human chorion ic gonadotrophin and no beta-endorphin, The cell line showed human kar yotypes and had a population doubling time of 48 h in serum-free mediu m. However, the cells would stop growing in the medium containing feta l bovine serum. A normal cytotrophoblast cell line established in seru m-free medium will be particularly useful in the study of cytotrophobl ast cell proliferation and differentiation.