Expression of transformed morphology and anchorage independent growth of hamster embryo cells

Formation of morphologically transformed colonies and the ability to grow in semi-solid agar has been compared for 3 different cell lines from hamster embryo and for primary hamster embryo cells. By manipulating the growth conditions, transformed colony morphology and growth in agar could be induced for all cell types studied. Conditions that induced morphologically transformed colonies, also produced growing colonies in agar. One cell line and the primary cells needed the presence of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate for the expression of transformed morphology and agar growth, while the two other cell lines produced both morphologically transformed colonies and growth in soft agar without any additions. None of the cell lines would produce morphologically transformed colonies in the presence of newborn bovine serum. Likewise, the cells were dependent on fetal bovine serum in order to grow in soft agar, except for one of the cell lines which produced a low number of agar growing colonies in newborn bovine serum. The data indicate a close relation between morphological transformation and growth in soft agar.