This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lambertenghi, G. Articles by Tennant, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lambertenghi, G. Articles by Tennant, J. R.

Electron Microscope Study of a BALB/c Leukemia Virus in Cell Culture Systems¹

Division of Cytology and Division of Applied Therapy, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, New York 10021

A BALB/c leukemia virus, member of the MuLV group, was grown in 2 cell lines of BALB/c thymus origin. Virus release by budding was observed in young cultures but never in old, crowded monolayers. In one of the two cell lines, an active process of virus phagocytosis was demonstrated by the combined methods of ferritin tracing, lanthanum staining, and acid phosphatase localization. The results are discussed both in terms of maximum recovery of similar viruses from tissue cultures and in support of the hypothesis that viruses released by budding and phagocytized by other cells are not necessarily instrumental in the transmission of the infection by this agent.

¹ This investigation was supported by USPHS Grant CA-08748 from the National Cancer Institute.

² Recipient of North Atlantic Treaty Organization fellowship. Istituto di Clinica Medica I, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Francesco Sforza 35, Milano, Italy.

³ Aided by Career Scientist Contract I-325 from the Health Research Council of the City of New York.

Received 11/24/71. Accepted 2/18/72.