Establishment and characterization of two new human ovarian cancer cell lines UWOV1 and UWOV2 and a subline UWOV2 (Sf) growing in serum-free conditions: growth characteristics, biochemical, and cytogenetic studies.

The establishment, growth, and characterization of two new continuously growing human ovarian cancer cell lines (UWOV1 and UWOV2) as well as a subline (UWOV2 Sf) grown in chemically defined, serum-free medium are described. The cell lines were derived from ascitic tumors of two patients suffering from cystadenocarcinomas of the ovary. Both UWOV1 and UWOV2 lines grow in anchorage-dependent fashion as monolayers, whereas UWOV2 (Sf) forms multilayered domelike structures. Cytogenetic studies revealed nonrandom abnormalities involving chromosomes 1 and 11 in all three cell lines. Secretion of soluble collagen was detected in all three lines. In addition, UWOV2 (Sf) produces and secretes large amounts of extracellular matrix material with an ordered fibrillar structure which may function as an attachment factor for the serum-free cells. These cell lines seem to be useful for further studies of the biology of human ovarian cancer.