Characterisation of human cell lines and differentiation from HeLa by enzyme typing

Abstract

THE value of a great deal of research on cells in culture depends on the certain identity of the cells under investigation. Contamination of one cell line with another, leading to mixed cultures or in some cases complete overgrowth of the original cells by the contaminating line, is a longstanding problem. Interspecific contamination has been recognised by both immunological and karyological techniques^1,2, but the most striking demonstration of intra-specific contamination was by Gartler³. He presented evidence, based on the detection of common genetically determined variation in two enzymes, that many permanent tumour cell lines, set up originally in several different laboratories, were in fact HeLa cells. Recently the problem of contamination with HeLa has become a focus of general interest and there has been a search for certain chromosomal and other characteristics of HeLa in a large number of established lines^4–6. There is no guarantee, however, that the contaminating cell line will always be HeLa and there appears to be a need for a quick and reliable method for the absolute identification of all human cell lines.