Calcium spike electrogenesis and other electrical activity in continuously cultured small cell carcinoma of the lung

Spike electrogenesis, local depolarizing and hyperpolarizing responses, spontaneous rhythmic firing, and alternating resting potentials were measured in cells from a continuously cultured small cell carcinoma of the lung. Spike generation was blocked by MnCl2. In view of this evidence for calcium-spike electrogenesis and previous evidence of secretory activity in these cells, this cell line (DMS 53) can provide a model for the study of excitation-secretion behavior in human neoplastic cells.