title: Establishment of a Cell Line From Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma: PeCa-UkHb-01.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Until now, no epithelial cell line from conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), to our knowledge, has existed; therefore, the establishment of a model cell line would be a useful tool for further studies. In particular, the phenotypic and molecular characterization in comparison to other SCC cells is of high interest because this would enable the development of new treatment options for clinical application in ophthalmic oncology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epithelial cells were isolated from a bulbar conjunctiva SCC obtained from a 74-year-old male, harvested by stepwise trypsinization and named PeCa-UkHb-01. Cell doubling and the number of passages were determined. Short tandem repeats (STR) and karyotype analyses were performed. Semiquantitative real-time PCR and immunocytochemical fluorescence staining were carried out to detect tumor and epithelial cell markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cells had an epithelial and conjunctival phenotype. They grew above passage number 50 in a doubling time at approximately 34.5 hours. Short tandem repeat analyses confirmed the cell origin, although loss of heterozygosity occurred. Karyotype analyses revealed a heterogeneous composition of the cell culture and the karyogram itself showed aberrations and changes in the chromosome numbers. Real-time PCR and immunocytochemical fluorescence staining revealed the expression of the stem cell markers such as ABCG2, p63, OCT4, c-MYC, and SOX2 as well as the conjunctival cytokeratin K19.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PeCa-UkHb-01 cells fulfill the criteria of a cell line. They display characteristics of ocular carcinoma cells and therefore the presented cell line might serve for further basic research in ophthalmic oncology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thomasen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Micaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poetsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Steuhl
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor