Rat carcinoma cells in long-term, serum-free culture provide a continuing supply of collagenase.

Neoplastic, epithelial cells derived from a spontaneously-arising rat mammary carcinoma have been cultured in a defined medium, in the absence of serum, continuously, for over 2 years. The medium is a mixture of Ham's F12 and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's media supplemented with insulin, transferrin and bovine serum albumin. The cells have retained their potential to produce tumours and, in culture, a true vertebrate collagenase. This system provides a continuing supply of vertebrate collagenase through the application of recently developed methods.