Cytogenetic analysis of triploid renal carcinoma in Rana pipiens

To provide a cytogenetic marker for nuclear transplantation experiments, triploid Rana pipiens embryos were produced. These embryos were injected with Lucké tumor herpesvirus. The chromosome profile of a renal carcinoma that developed in one of these triploid embryos was compared to the chromosomal profiles of a naturally occurring diploid renal carcinoma and a diploid renal tumor maintained as serial anterior eye chamber allografts for over 7 yr. Examination of Ag-NOR-stained chromosome spreads from the putative triploid and naturally occurring putative diploid tumor revealed the expected results. The vast majority of the chromosome spreads, 54/57 (95%) and 6/7 (86%), respectively, displayed euploid chromosome and Ag-NOR profiles: 3N = 39 with three Ag-NORs at the secondary constrictions in the long arm of chromosome 10 (10q) and 2N = 26 with two Ag-NORs in 10q. Chromosome profiles from the long-term allografted tumor were highly aneuploid (82%) and, based on their Ag-NOR content, displayed variations in their 2N, 3N, and 4N numbers. These data indicate that the majority of recently transformed triploid Lucké tumor cells can provide donor nuclei suitable for the characterization of developmental potential.