Relationship between fibrinolysis of cultured cells and malignancy.

Cells cultured from various human and nonhuman malignant and normal tissues as well as mammalian cells transformed in vitro were examined for their ability to induce fibrinolysis. Generally, except for normal cells derived from lung or kidney, malignant cells had a greater ability to induce fibrinolysis than did their normal counterparts. A correlation existed between the abilities of the cells to induce fibrinolysis, grow in soft agar, and form tumors in immunosuppressed hosts.