Studies on Acute Leukemia and Infectious Mononucleosis of Childhood. IV. Continuous Propagation of Lymphoblastoid Cells From Spontaneously Transformed Bone Marrow Cultures

Summary

Lymphoblastoid cells from spontaneously transformed bone marrow cultures have been propagated as long-term cultures. During a 5-year study, 40 continuous cultures, 11 from children with leukemia, 21 from children with infectious mononucleosis, 7 from children with various hematological disorders, and 1 from a child with hepatomegaly, were established by means of periodic supplementation with normal bone marrow fibroblasts. Suspension cultures were attempted with lymphoblastoid cells from 25 of these 40 cultures. Four cell strains were established, 2 of which developed into cell lines in that they have been maintained in log-phase growth during a period of 22 months for over 350 serial passages. The mode of continuous lymphoblastoid cell propagation either in monolayer cultures or in suspension is discussed.