Cell Lines in Myelodysplastic Syndromes/Neoplasms (MDS) Research: A Review of Existing Models and Their Applications

Myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) are clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, cytopenias, and a variable risk of progression to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML). Despite major advances in the molecular and clinical characterization of MDS, mechanistic and translational research remains constrained by the limited availability of well-validated in vitro models. Many historically used cell lines are difficult to maintain, exhibit restricted proliferative capacity, or represent advanced disease stages rather than bona fide MDS, while others have been affected by misidentification or cross-contamination. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of currently available MDS and MDS-related cell lines, including MDS92, MDS-L and its sublines, M-TAT, TER-3, SKK-1, SKM-1, and MOLM-17/18. We summarize their clinical origin, cytogenetic and molecular features, growth factor dependence, differentiation capacity, and experimental applications, with particular emphasis on their relevance to disease stage, clonal evolution, and leukemic transformation. In addition, we discuss the controversy surrounding misidentified models such as PC-MDS and highlight the importance of rigorous cell line authentication.