Establishment of a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line producing carcinoembryonic antigen.

A human adenocarcinoma cell line was successfully established from the lymph-node metastasis of transverse colon cancer. Primary culture was done with the tumor developed in a nude mouse which had been inoculated with the metastatic lymph node. Morphological characteristics, growth kinetics, chromosomes, tumorigenicity and high production of carcinoembryonic antigen by the established cells are described. This cell line should be a useful tool for studies on the mechanism of re-expression of the fetal gene which is responsible for carcinoembryonic antigen expression in colon cancer cells.