ESTABLISHING HUMAN GLIOMA-DERIVED CELL LINES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the establishment of human glioma-derived cell lines. The chapter discusses the primary culture of cells derived from human glioma-tissue specimens and the characterization and handling of the derived cell lines. The developments of new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies in neurooncology rely on cell-culture models in monolayer or multicellular spheroids and in vivo models derived from xenotransplants. Chemoresistance testing, the elucidation of the effects of gene therapy, and the development of new antiproliferative strategies in oncology require appropriate cell-culture models. A major goal in the primary culture of any tumor and brain tumors is the attachment of as many cellular components as possible. The chapter describes the techniques that help obtain permanent cell lines from the tumors taken into tissue culture. Cells need to be characterized into two aspects: (1) they need to be shown to be of glial origin, which is the lineage aspect, and (2) they need to be characterized as truly neoplastic. Lines other than astrocytic or astrocytoma-derived cell lines are difficult to generate and maintain. The chapter discusses the molecular basis of glioma disease.