Establishment of a continuously growing cell line from primary carcinoma of the liver.

A continuously growing cell line has been established from autopsy material taken from a primary liver carcinoma, a cancer which has a high incidence in Southern Africa. The cell line was initiated from multifocal areas of outgrowth in the primary culture, and adaptation to in vitro conditions was completed after 18 months. The cells resemble hepatocytes in culture, have a doubling time of 35-40 hours and a plating efficiency of 40-50%. No virus particles have been found in the cells by ultrastructural examination. The isozyme pattern and the karyology of the cells are human. The chromosome pattern is heteroploid (mean number 56) and there are marker chromosomes.