Establishment of a continuous cell line from fibrotic schistosomal granulomas in mice livers.

A continuous murine cell line (GRX) was obtained from fibrotic granulomas induced in C3H/HeN mice liver by experimental infection with Schistosoma mansoni. This anchorage-dependent line produces composite connective tissue/extracellular matrix, displays morphological characteristics of myofibroblasts, and can, under appropriate conditions, accumulate fat droplets. GRX cells produce viral particles of retrovirus type. We consider GRX cell line to be representative of liver connective tissue cells, responsible for fibroplasia in liver fibrotic and granulomatous reactions.