A Study of a New Human Tumor Cell Line (Rhabdomyosarcoma)

Summary A rhabdomyosarcoma cell culture (HUS-2) was established from an 80 year old female. The cells underwent a morphologic change (at the 12-14 cell transfer) but the karyotypic pattern remained stable throughout. It was our impression that this morphologic change was not an example of transformation but simply an adaptative process of these cells to the culture conditions. The modal number was 58 with a telocentric marker chromosome before and after the morphologic alteration. Treatment with 5-Iododeoxy-uridine and 20-methylcholantrene and DEAE-D caused no karyotypic change. Electron microscopy showed masses of fibrillar material in the multinucleated giant cells and no virus particles were seen in any culture examined.