Growth of urinary transitional cell carcinoma cell lines in agar, agarose and methyl cellulose

Because in vitro cell growth of transitional cell carcinoma explants and cell lines often fail to adequately proliferate in semisolid media, we have examined the effect of agents used to make media semisolid (methyl cellulose, Bacto-agar, Sea Plaque agarose and Sea Prep 15/45 agarose) on the in vitro growth of 11 transitional cell carcinoma cell lines. The growth of human transitional cell carcinoma lines was supported such that agents permissive for growth ranked as follows: Sea Plaque agarose approximately Sea Prep agarose greater than methyl cellulose greater than Bacto-agar. These observations have important implications for the in vitro study of transitional cell carcinoma cell lines and are relevant to the development of improved chemosensitivity determinations for human transitional cell carcinoma.