ESTABLISHMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW CELL-LINE DERIVED FROM FELINE MAMMARY-TUMOR

A new cell line designated FRM was established from pleural effusion o f a 13-year-old female cat with mammary adenocarcinoma. The cell line exhibited irregular round and polygonal shaped epithelial cells and de monstrated cell growth in a monolayer fashion with a doubling time of 22.4 hr. It possessed a modal chromosome number of 79. The immortality of this cell line was demonstrated using the TRAP assay which reveale d a high telomeric activity of these cells. Scatchard analysis reveale d quite low levels of estrogen receptors in both tumor mass produced i n nude mice and FRM cells. Subcutaneous transplantation of the cells p roduced localized palpable masses in athymic nude mice within two week s. This cell line may provide a good model for in vivo and in vitro st udies on feline mammary tumors.