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Characterization of cell lines established from merkel‐cell (“small‐cell”) carcinoma of the skin
Author(s) -
Leonard J. Helen,
Bell John R.,
Kearsley John H.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910550519
Subject(s) - merkel cell carcinoma , merkel cell , nucleolus , pathology , cell culture , cytoplasm , biology , small cell lung carcinoma , cell , cell type , carcinoma , immunohistochemistry , small cell carcinoma , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
Six cell lines have been established from different biopsies of the rare small‐cell skin cancer of neuro‐endocrine origin known as Merkel‐cell carcinoma (MCC). These were established from metastatic lesions and have now been in culture for periods varying from 1 to 3 years. All lines grow as suspension cultures and exhibit typical MCC cytological features of small round cells with little cytoplasm, round nuclei and tight junctions. There was variation in the number and size of nucleoli and dense‐core granules. We present details of their immunohistochemistry and growth characteristics in culture. The latter were similar to small‐cell lung‐cancer (SCLC) lines and can be subdivided, by their appearance, into type I, type II and type III in the same way as SCLC lines. This classification may be of significance for the prognosis and management of MCC.