New neural cell lines derived from experimentally induced rat tumors and from human neuroblastomas

We have isolated a series of new cell lines from tumors of the nervous system. Two approaches have been used. In the first, tumors were induced in neonatal rats with the potent carcinogen ethylnitrosourea. Tumors were put into cell culture and cloned after several passages. The resultant cell lines were characterized for a variety of presumptive neuronal and glial functions. Our second approach, designed to identify lines with neuronal characteristics, has been to culture and analyze cells derived from human neurolbastomas. Five lines have been characterized for the Na+ action potential ionophore and several enzyme markers.