Abstract
A chicken monocytic leukemia Cell line was established from a spontaneous myelocytic leukemia. The cell line consisted of adherent round and polygonal cells. About 65% of the cells formed rosettes with chicken antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes (ChA-SEs) and only 18% of the cells phagocytized them. Nonspecific esterase activity was present in 60% of the cells. The cells treated with phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated chicken spleen cell-conditioned medium (PHA-SCM) exhibited an increase in Fc receptor expression, nonspecific esterase activity and Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis associated with development of petal-like ruffles on the cell surface. In addition, the cells could form rosettes with rabbit antibody-coated erythrocytes (RaA-SEs). In contrast, the cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) showed disappearance of ruffle structurcs. The cells exhibited expression of Fc receptor, but no Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis. Nonspecific esterase activity showed focal staining pattern. The chicken monocytic leukemia cell line was induced to differentiate into individual distinct macrophage-like cells by PHA-SCM and LPS.
