Tissue culture and scanning electron microscopy of breast carcinoma 'cell line MCF-7' from pleural effusion.

The surface ultrastructure of tissue-cultured cells derived from the pleural effusion of metastatic scirrhous breast carcinoma in the human MDF-7 cell line was studied by scanning electron microscopy. It was found to form monolayers of various colonies or collections of cells which were either separate or intimately adherent. The surface ultrastructure of the cells was found to be exclusively formed of microvilli. Data suggesting a diagnostic significance of microvilli in cancer cells were discussed. Observations were made which point to the existence of a compensatory absorptive functional activity exerted by the microvilli.