[In vitro modification of the morphology and the growth of cells infected with scrapie (author's transl)].

Seven cell lines originated either in brains or in neuroblastomas of Mice, were infected with Scrapie. After 12 to 16 in vitro passages, 6 lines out of 7 showed changes of their morphology, and of their growth, resembling those occurring in the course of a malignant transformation. The Scrapie infected cells acquired the capacity to form 2 to 4 times more colonies in liquid medium than the controls, and to develop large tridimensional colonies in semisolid medium. The role of Scrapie in these changes is discussed.