Establishment and characterization of a human neuroblastoma cell line in tissue culture.

A new continuous cell line, GOTO, has been established in tissue culture from a human neuroblastoma arising from the adrenal and maintained for 5 years. The cells are small and fibroblast-like, and grow in dense layer. Population doubling time was approximately 48 hr. The modal chromosome number was near-diploid. Neither marker chromosomes nor double-minute chromosomes were abserved. Inoculum of 10(7) cells produced tumors in ATS-treated hamsters and athymic nude mice, and the histological appearance of tumors was consistent with undifferentiated neuroblastoma. Neural features of the cells were also confirmed by ultrastructural examination. Biochemical analysis showed this cell line to be cholinergic. Morphological differentiation leading to neurite formation was induced by cultivation in serum-free medium.