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Development of an Agar-Methyl Cellulose Clonogenic Assay for Cells in Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Human Bladder¹

Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine [R. N. B., S. E. F., S. E. S., J. M. T.]; Section of Urology, Department of Surgery [T. H. S.]; Department of Anatomy [P. K.]; and The Cancer Center [R. N. B., T. H. S., S. E. S.], University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona 85724

We report the development of a clonogenic assay for progenitor cells in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Colony growth has been demonstrated from cells obtained both from surgical biopsies and from bladder barbotages. Electron microscopic and karyotypic evidence supports the contention that these progenitors represent a part of the population maintaining the tumor in vivo.

Colony growth occurred in 9 of 11 surgical biopsy samples and in 6 of 6 bladder barbotage samples. Plating efficiency ranged up to 0.7%, and colony size was in some instances greater than 1000 cells.

The assay appears potentially useful for analysis of the biology of human transitional cell carcinoma.

¹ Supported in part by Grants CA 21839, CA 17094, and CA 23074 from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md. 20205.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 6/ 4/79. Accepted 9/17/79.