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A Morphological and Phenotypic Analysis of Walker 256 Cells¹

Departments of Pathology, Staten Island University Hospital and SUNY (Downstate), Brooklyn, New York 11203 [H. S.]; Departments of Microbiology and Immunology [J. M. L.] and Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology [J. E. M.], Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208; and Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire 03756 [B. H. D.]

A detailed morphological analysis of Walker 256 cells sensitive and resistant to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) has been performed. Two cell populations are identified by electron microscopy of differing differentiation corresponding structurally to cells reported in experimentally induced metastases. Phenotyping of the cells using a number of monoclonal antibodies by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry showed the absence of epithelial cell markers; however, the cells stained intensely for markers for germ and/or hematopoietic cells. Further studies utilizing monoclonal antibodies to lymphoid, myeloid, and monocytoid cells showed the cells to be monocytoid in origin. No evidence of cell heterogeneity was evident from the phenotypic experiments (a biphasic pattern was not observed). Enzyme histochemistry showed strong focal acid phosphatase activity suggestive of cells of hematopoietic origin. Thus the concept that these cells reflect an epithelial cell of origin is not substantiated by phenotyping with two methodologies.

¹ This work was partially supported by Grant CA41608 from the National Institute of Health and a grant from the Leukemia Foundation of Staten Island.

Received 8/17/90. Accepted 12/ 6/90.