Four new human germ cell tumor cell lines.

Four new human tumor cell lines, NCC-EC-1, NCC-EC-2, NCC-EC-3, and NCC-IT, were derived from different germ cell tumors established in vitro. On the basis of morphologic studies of cell cultures and nude mice xenografts, it was concluded that NCC-EC-1, and NCC-EC-2 cell lines are equivalent to developmentally nullipotent embryonal carcinoma; cell line NCC-EC-3 showed trophoblastic differentiation, whereas the NCC-IT cell line was composed of developmentally pluripotent cells capable of somatic and extraembryonic differentiation. Nude mouse-xenografts of NCC-IT contained foci of embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, immature somatic tissues, and trophoblastic giant cells indicating that this cell line is indeed developmentally pluripotent. We conclude that human embryonal carcinoma cell lines may be developmentally nullipotent, show restricted capacity for differentiation, or be developmentally pluripotent.