Establishment and charcterization of human hepatoma cell line (KIM-1)

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, KIM-1, was established from the surgically removed tumor of a α-fetoprotein (AFP) seropositive and HBs-Ag seronegative hepatoma patient. The KIM-1 cells not only resembled the original HCC tissue on light and electron microscopic examinations, but also produced some tumor markers such as AFP, β₂-microglobulin (BMG) and ferritin. The cells grow both in serum-containing medium and in serum-free medium. When KIM- 1 cells were injected into athymic nude mice subcutaneously, they introduced tumor which resembled the original HCC tissue histologically, and the serum AFP level of the mice were extremely high. The range in chromosome number laid between 71 and 160 with some marker chromosomes, and the modal chromosome number was 79. This cell line will provide a good experimental model for venous investigations.