A new cell line (OMC-5) was established from an experimental squamous cell carcinoma of a mouse uterine cervix.
First, carcinoma was induced by the insertion of a 20-methylcholanthrene-impregnated thread into the cervical canal of the mouse. In the columnar epithelium of the uterine cervix, invasive carcinoma was seen after 8 weeks and increased thereafter. After 28 weeks, squamous cell carcinoma was found in all the mice, and was well differentiated.
The OMC-5 was established from the keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma that had been treated with 20-methylcholanthrene for 28 weeks. The OMC-5 was successively subcultured 14 times in 24 months. The monolayer cultured cells were epithelial with a pavement-like arrangement and tendency to pile up without contact inhibition. Electronmicroscopy showed desmosomes and well-developed tonofilaments. The population doubling time was 69 hours, the saturation density was 8.3 × 104 cells/cm2, the plating efficiency was 7.0% and the mitotic index was 5. 1%. Chromosome studies showed aneuploidy and a modal number of 82. After subcutaneous transplantation into nude rat, the cells grew into solid keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas.
