Immunoglobulin Synthesis by Human Reticulum Sarcoma Cells in Vivo and during Long-Term Culture in Vitro

A new cell line (SK-RCS1) is described which originated from the tumor cells in a pleural effusion of a patient whose neoplasm exhibited mixed features of multiple myeloma and reticulum cell sarcoma. Electron microscopy showed that the same cell types (i.e., primitive reticulum cells and partially differentiated plasma-like cells) were present in both the pleural effusion and the established cell line, and chromosome analysis showed similar karyotypic abnormalities in vivo and in vitro. The tumor cells synthesized protein of k specificity both in vivo in the pleural effusion and in the established culture. The relation of the SK-RCS1 line to other established human lymphoid cell lines and the relationship between plasma cells, lymphocytes, and reticulum cells are discussed.