MORPHOLOGIC, IMMUNOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL, AND CYTOGENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUMAN GLIOBLASTOMA-DERIVED CELL-LINE, SNB-19

Human glioma-derived cell cultures and lines have proven to be of sign ificant value in the study of the basic properties that contribute to the highly malignant, invasive and angiogenic phenotype of glioblastom a multiforme tumors, It is frequently difficult to establish lines tha t retain glial tumor properties in long term culture. The SNB-19 cell line has maintained and exhibited properties of transformation, differ entiation, autocrine growth response, and tumorigenesis while remainin g in culture for over 13 yr and undergoing over 200 passages. This hum an line has been utilized in a wide range of studies related to the ba sic properties of human glioblastoma multiforme. In this report, we su mmarize the immunologic, biochemical, and cytogenetic properties of th is versatile cell line and its utility for additional mechanistic inve stigation into the pathophysiology of the progression of human maligna nt gliomas.