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Multiple differentiated functions in an unusual clonal strain of hepatoma cells

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Summary

A clonal strain of rat hepatoma cells (MH1C1) has been established from Morris hepatoma 7795. The cells grow slowly and have been serially propagated in culture without evidence of senescence for over 2 years. They perform the following differentiated functions in vitro:

  1. 1.

    MH1C1 cells produce serum albumin and secrete it into the culture medium. The rate of production of albumin is stimulated 3- to 12-fold by adding hydrocortisone to the medium.

  2. 2.

    The ninth component of complement (C9) is synthesized by MH1C1 cells, a finding which gives evidence that this trace complement component may be a liver product. The synthesis of C9 is not stimulated by hydrocortisone.

  3. 3.

    Testosterone is metabolized by the MH1C1 cells by pathways which are very similar to, or the same as, those found in normal liver. Evidence for the following testosterone metabolizing enzymes has been obtained: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, Δ4-3-ketosteroid 5α-reductase, 6β-, 7α-, and 16β-hydroxylases, urindine diphosphate glucuronyl transferase, and 17β-hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase.

  4. 4.

    MH1C1 cells produce tyrosine aminotransferase and respond to hydrocortisone by rapidly increasing the activity of this enzyme.

Multiple differentiated functions which are responsive to exogenous signals lead us to conclude that the MH1C1 cells are a useful model for studying the integration of control mechanisms within a single type of cell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Harvard Medical School, 02115, Boston, Massachusetts

    Armen H. Tashjian Jr., Frank C. Bancroft, U. Ingrid Richardson, Marvin B. Goldlust, Frederick A. Rommel & Peter Ofner

  2. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland

    Armen H. Tashjian Jr., Frank C. Bancroft, U. Ingrid Richardson, Marvin B. Goldlust, Frederick A. Rommel & Peter Ofner

  3. Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, 02130, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

    Armen H. Tashjian Jr., Frank C. Bancroft, U. Ingrid Richardson, Marvin B. Goldlust, Frederick A. Rommel & Peter Ofner

Authors
  1. Armen H. Tashjian Jr.
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  2. Frank C. Bancroft
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  3. U. Ingrid Richardson
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  4. Marvin B. Goldlust
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  5. Frederick A. Rommel
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  6. Peter Ofner
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Additional information

Supported in part by research grants from the United States Public Health Service (AM-11011) and the American Cancer Society, Inc. (E-222 and P-374), and by an appropriation by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Item 2026-50-02).

Research Career Development Awardee, National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases (AM-13,561).

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM-21,175).

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, United States Public Health Service Training Grant (5T01-AI-00282-05).

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Tashjian, A.H., Bancroft, F.C., Richardson, U.I. et al. Multiple differentiated functions in an unusual clonal strain of hepatoma cells. In Vitro 6, 32–45 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02616132

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02616132

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