DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS DEMONSTRATING SUCCESSFUL CULTURE OF HUMAN MENINGIOMA CELLS

The light microscopic and ultrastructural features of cultured meningi oma cells were compared with those of surgically resected specimens. M eningioma cells normally show variable degrees of epithelial or mesenc hymal differentiation. In cultured cells, well formed psammoma bodies and whorls were seen by light microscopy and specialised intercellular junctions were observed by electron microscopy. Cytogenetic analysis was also shown to be a useful diagnostic marker to differentiate cultu red meningioma from contaminant proliferating fibroblastic and endothe lial cells. These methods have demonstrated that the cells cultured fr om operative samples were predominantly meningioma cells. The ability to reproducibly cultivate populations of meningioma cells should facil itate in vitro assessment of potential adjunctive treatment modalities .