[2] Cultured S49 mouse T lymphoma cells

This chapter focuses on S49 mouse T cell lymphoma cells that are adapted to grow in culture. It has characteristics that are of general utility to investigators who make use of cultured cells. The cells grow quickly with a generation time of approximately 16 hr. They have a stable near-euploid karyotype. They grow in stirred or stationary suspension culture. The characteristics described in the chapter are general ones that might appeal to investigators, otherwise indifferent to the particular nature of the line, who are seeking cells with desirable technical properties. S49 cells have in addition special properties that almost certainly reflect those of the normal T cell population in which the lymphoma arose. The chapter concludes with discussion on mutagenesis of S49 cells that generally increases the frequency and predetermines the nature of mutations in selectable genes. The chapter describes a mutagen screening system utilizing S49 cells that distinguishes general classes of mutagenic mechanisms—in particular, those that lead to base substitution and frameshift alterations.