Cultured Nb rat lymphoma cells in endocrine and cancer research.

This review outlines the establishment, properties, and use of two lines of cultured Nb rat lymphoma cells. The cultured cells have retained important properties of the cancers of origin, such as dependency on prolactin for growth and a high sensitivity to antineoplastic Vinca alkaloids. The cultures have been useful for defining the hormonal dependency of the lymphomas in the animal and for studying the progression of the lymphomas from hormonal dependency to autonomy. A new, specific and highly sensitive in vitro bioassay for lactogenic hormones has been developed from one of the cultures. The use of the lymphoma cell cultures has revealed unsuspected pharmacological differences between the closely related, clinically useful antineoplastic Vinca alkaloids, vinblastine and vincristine. The lymphoma cell cultures are also useful tools for studying biochemical, cell cycle related events which follow the mitogenic stimulation of cells by a polypeptide growth factor.