ESTABLISHMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN FETAL LIVER EPITHELIAL-CELL LINE TRANSFECTED WITH SV40 T-ANTIGEN

The arm of the present study was to establish a stable cell line usefu l for the study of growth and differentiation of human fetal liver cel ls. We have established an immortalized human fetal liver cell line (d esignated NFL/T) by transfection with simian virus 40 (SV40) large T a ntigen, without any culture crisis. The cells showed growth properties similar to normal cells, including density-dependent cell growth. Ele ctron microscopy demonstrated liver-specific differentiated morphologi cal properties. Moreover, positive albumin and cytokeratin 7 productio n was detected immunologically. Thus, the NFL/T cell line is less tran sformed than the other fetal river cell lines established by this meth od, and might be useful to study the growth and differentiation of hum an fetal liver cells.