Long-term tissue culture of human pheochromocytomas

Two human pheochromocytomas were cultured for long periods. One was cultured for a year, the other is still growing after a cultivation time of seven months. Though decreasing with the age of cultures the cells contained catecholamines all the time. Catecholamines were demonstrated by electron microscope, by fluorescence histochemistry and by Vulpian's and Da Prada's methods. Both pheochromocytomas were responsive to Nerve Growth Factor and showed dose-dependent development of neurite-like processes.