[Primary culture and morphological characteristics of human lacrimal adenoid cystic carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore a method of primary culturing human adenoid cystic carcinoma cells of lacrimal gland. METHODS: Experiment research. Tumor tissue was obtained from the surgical material of a patient diagnosed as lacrimal adenoid cystic carcinoma in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital during May 16th to June 1st.We gained primary cells via tissue culture techniques. Mixed cells were removed through several ways.Observed cell morphological characteristics by phase contrast microscope, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Cyto-immunochemical staining was applied to detect the expressions of vimentin, desmin, S-100, cytokeratin, pan and CD34. Their expressions were also detected in the tumor tissue except CD34. Made cell growth curve and calculated cell doubling time. RESULTS: The outgrowth of cells was observed by day 5 after seeding tissues, and then cells generated slowly. The first passage proceeded by day 32, and the classical epithelioid cell colonies was observed by day 69 after inoculation. Purified cells of human lacrimal adenoid cystic carcinoma were obtained after the removal of mixed cells through several ways, which have been successfully subcultured for more than 100 passages. The 25th passage LACC cells appeared to be typically epithelioid cells, they showed contact inhibition as the density high enough.SEM and TEM showed the 25th passage LACC cells were malignant tumor cells poorly differentiated. They showed positive reaction with vimentin, cytokeratin (pan) as well as S-100, but negative reaction with desmin and CD34, which were consistent with the tumor tissue. The cell growth curve turned like a sigmoid one, and the cell doubling time was 37.1 h. CONCLUSIONS: We gained purified LACC cells, and understood the morphological characteristics, laying the foundation for the establishment of a human lacrimal adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line.

[The application of serum free medium in the research of isolating cancer stem cells].

The isolation and identification of cancer stem cells are the key points in exploring characteristics of cancer stem cells at present. Several species of cancer stem cells, for instance, retinoblastoma tumor stem cells, cancer stem cells of melanoma of choroid, breast cancer stem cells, lung cancer stem cells, colon cancer stem cells, etc., have been isolated and cultured successfully by serum free medium while their biological functions and characteristics are acquired. This review focus on the application of serum free medium in the research of isolating cancer stem cells, both ocular and general, in terms of providing foundation for further research on ocular cancer stem cells.