[The sorting of heterotypic cells in mixed cultures]

Bovine tracheal epithelium, FBT cells, transformed mouse kidney epithelium, MPTR cells, and normal mouse embryo fibroblasts were used to demonstrate cell sorting in mixed monolayer cultures grown on solid substrates. Sorting was caused by contact cell competition for the substrate territory. Central position after sorting was occupied by most adhesive cells capable of displacing other groups of cells from the substrate.