Morphologic and cytochemical study of L929 cell variants with different metastasizing ability in C3HA/Hab mice

A morphologic (phase-contrast, TEM and SEM) and cytochemical study was performed on L929 cell variants that show different malignant behavior and lung colonization ability in C3HA/Hab mice. The paper presents and discusses the correlation between enhanced lung colonization ability and the expression in culture of rounded, risen, less attached morphologies. Also, a diminution in the activity of mitochondrial enzymes and number of these cell organelles was found for the cell variant selected for enhanced lung colonization ability.