title: Development of human cell lines from multiple organs.
abstract: While the majority of carcinogenesis studies have relied on the use of rodent cells in culture, experimental models to define the role of carcinogenic agents in the development of cancers must be established by using a variety of human cells. Unlike rodent cells, normal human cells in culture rarely undergo spontaneous transformation and have generally proven to be resistant to neoplastic transformation by carcinogens. Remarkable progress has been made during the past decade in human cell transformation systems. Malignant transformation of human cells in culture has been achieved by a stepwise process: immortalization and conversion of the immortalized cells to tumorigenic cells. One of the critical initial events in the progression of normal human cells to tumor cells is the escape from cellular senescence, with few exceptions; normal human cells require immortalization to provide a practical system for carcinogenesis studies. Different cell types require different conditions and transforming agents to achieve a useful cell line. The current state of the art in immortalization of human cells will be presented.
authors.affiliation: Center for Prostate Disease Research, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rhim
mesh_terms: D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral