Human neurocytoma cells in culture show characteristics of astroglial differentiation.

Cultured human neurocytoma cells from two neurosurgical patients were analysed for their immunocytochemical staining patterns and growth characteristics. In both cases, the cells stained positive for glial acidic fibrillary protein (GFAP) within one day of tissue culture in medium, with and without fetal calf serum, whereas the histological tumor specimens were negative. Both cases contained cells concomitantly expressing GFAP and synaptophysin (SNP) in the primary cultures. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was mitogenic for the cultured cells but not platelet derived growth factor alpha (PDGF AA) or nerve growth factor (NGF). It is concluded that the human neurocytomas may represent neoplasms of a pluripotent neuroglial cell which can provide an interesting model to study the determinants for human glial/neuronal differentiation in vitro.