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Colony Growth in Soft Agar of Human Melanoma, Sarcoma, and Lung Carcinoma Cells Disaggregated by Mechanical and Enzymatic Methods¹

Department of Experimental Therapeutics and Grace Cancer Drug Center [Z. P. P., H. K. S., Y. M. R.] and Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics [P. J. C., Y. M. R.], Thoracic Surgery [H. T.], and Surgical Oncology [C. K.], Roswell Park Memorial Institute, New York State Department of Health, Buffalo, New York 14263

The effect of mechanical and enzymatic disaggregation on human malignant melanoma, soft-tissue sarcoma and lung carcinoma colony growth in soft agar was studied. The enzymatic disaggregation was advantageous in most cases of melanoma and sarcoma, giving a larger number of colonies and increasing the probability of achieving growth in soft agar. Enzymatically treated pulmonary carcinoma cell populations had lower clonogeneic potential, especially in the case of anaplastic carcinomas.

Morphological studies showed that the cells growing in softagar colonies had the same characteristics as those of the original tumor. A linear relationship was obtained between the number of enzymatically and mechanically treated tumor cells plated and the number of colonies. Delayed plating decreased the number of colonies.

¹ Supported in part by Program Grants CA-21071 and CA-13038 and Core Grant CA-24538 from the Nation Cancer Institute.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed at the Department of Experimental Therapeutics and Grace Cancer Drug Center, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, 666 Elm St., Buffalo, N. Y. 14263.

Received 12/ 3/79. Accepted 3/14/80.