Hans L. M. Beck

Flow-cytometric analysis of mixed cell populations using intermediate filament antibodies.

Using two human tumour cell lines, T24 bladder carcinoma and Molt-4 leukemia, flow-cytometric DNA analysis of pure and mixed cell populations was performed using cellular cytokeratin content to distinguish cytokeratin-containing carcinoma cells from leukemia cells which do not contain cytokeratin. Using cytokeratin content to gate DNA analysis, the same specificity and sensitivity of cellular DNA content and distribution measurement could be achieved by single-pass FCM analysis of a mixture of the two cell types as was seen when analysing pure populations of the two cell lines. This technique has broad applicability to FCM analysis of mixed populations composed of cells from different tissues of origin.

Multiparameter analysis of four human renal cell carcinoma xenografts in nude mice

Four human renal cell carcinoma xenografts (RC2, RC14, RC43, NC65), maintained in nude mice for several years, were investigated in a multi - disciplinary study, using (immuno) histochemical, biochemical and ultrastructural techniques. Histological, cellular, nuclear and biological characteristics were investigated. All tumors showed histologically recognizable features of human renal cell carcinomas, although marked differences between the four tumors were seen, both at the histological and ultrastructural level. Flowcytometric analysis of tumor cell suspensions allowed DNA quantification as well as the detection of subpopulations. Immunohistochemical staining procedures using tissue specific antibodies against intermediate filament proteins revealed two populations of tumor cells. Most tumor cells in three of the xenografts coexpressed cytokeratins and vimentin, while in RC43 most of the tumor cells expressed only vimentin. Northern blot analysis showed a higher expression of vimentin mRNA in all tumors as compared to normal kidney tissue. RC43 showed a three-fold higher level of vimentin mRNA than the other xenografts. Growth potential in the human tumor cloning system was evaluated by temporal growth pattern analysis. These experiments showed that the xenografts resemble human primary renal cell tumors in different ways, and reflect different characteristics that can be present in human renal cell carcinoma.

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mixed Cell Populations Using Antibodies to Cytokeratin

Abstract Using a rabbit antiserum to human skin keratins and a monoclonal antibody to cytokeratin 18, we have labeled cultured human urothelial carcinoma cells (T24), normal and neoplastic human endometrial cells, and human bladder tumor cells in suspensions of complex cell mixtures. After propidium iodide staining, the epithelial (tumor) cells can be analyzed separately from non-epithelial cells for their DNA content. This method has, therefore, a broad applicability to flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of human tumors composed of cells from different origins.

In Vitro Colony Growth Dynamics of the MATLyLu Tumor and Six New Dunning Rat Prostatic Tumor Cell Lines

Since the first description of the Dunning rat prostate tumor (Dunning 1963) several sublines of this tumor, originating from the dorsal lobe of rat prostatic tissue, have been described (Claflin and McKinney 1977; Isaacs et al. 1978; Isaacs et al. 1981; Smolev et al. 1977). One of these tumor lines, the MATLyLu tumor line which shows metastatic potential to lymph nodes and lung tissue (Isaacs et al. 1981), has been investigated over several years in our laboratory.