STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF A NEW HIGHLY METASTATIC CELL-LINE PATU-8902 FROM A PRIMARY HUMAN PANCREATIC ADENOCARCINOMA

The new cell line PaTu 8902 was established from a human pancreatic gr ade II adenocarcinoma of ductal origin. In early passages, cultured ce lls showed a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of their morphology and the number of chromosomes per cell. When transplanted subcutaneou sly into nude mice, these cells grew as tumors with a similar morpholo gy and differentiation (grade II) to the primary tumor. In contrast, a fter prolonged cultivation, cells were more homogenous in terms of the ir morphology and number of chromosomes per cell, and the correspondin g nude mouse xenografts were less differentiated (grade III). When cel ls from late passages were injected intravenously into nude mice, lung metastases occured after 3 4 weeks. In addition, tumor cells were fou nd in the wall of the esophagus and in the pleural cavity, indicating a high metastatic potential for PaTu 8902 cells in nude mice.