ABSTRACT
Characterization of the line is essential to demonstrate its identity with or close similarity to the original tumor tissue. Progressive growth of a tissue fragment obtained from a patient's tumor transplanted s.c. to the flank of the nude mouse is recorded as a positive "take". A basic requirement for a human tumor line established in the nude mouse is the retention of a human karyotype. Cytogenetic analysis of solid tumors is a difficult task because a good single-cell preparation and a sufficient number of viable tumor cells in metaphase are required. Upon characterization of tumor lines derived from human tumor tissue known to release cellular products, it has been demonstrated that these biological functions can be retained in the nude mouse. To ensure the stability of a human tumor line established in the nude mouse, usual requirements include the measurement of growth and the determination of the histological pattern in each passage.
