[Permissive effects of human colonic cancer (HT-29 and Caco-2) on intestinal smooth muscle differentiation]

Human colonic carcinoma cells (lines HT-29 and Caco-2) were associated with 5 1/2 day-old chick embryonic intestinal mesenchyme and grafted for 11 days into 3 day-old Chick embryos. In these conditions, the cancer cells exert on the mesenchyme a supportative effect leading to its differentiation into muscular layers. The results provide additional evidence that HT-29 and Caco-2 cells exhibit common properties to fetal and normal intestinal cells.