[The establishment of craniopharyngioma cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the craniopharyngioma cell line with primary culture which might provide experiment background and evidence for future eternal tumor cell line establishment. METHODS: Thirty six surgical specimens were collected from patients with craniopharyngiomas definited by iconography and pathology examinations in West China Hospital, Sichuan University, including twenty one adamantine epitheliomas and fifteen squamous papillary tumors. The tumor cell was treated through primary cukture, purification, passage, freezing, resuscitation, and identified by keratin 7 staining through SP method. The growth curve and double time were detected through trypan blue dye cell count and MTT assay. The growth of the tumor cells treated with growth hormone (GH) and Tamoxifen was also observed. RESULTS: Thirty six primary cultures were done, 29 of which were successful and subculture was achieved in 80.6% of all primary cultures. These cell lines were from squamous epithelium by keratin 7 antibody identification, with three days of double time. Proloferative effect of GH was most prevalent at 100 ng/mL, while tamoxifen suppressed cell growth. CONCLUSION: The finite craniopharyngioma cell lines were obtained through primary culture.

Congenital spinal intradural arachnoid cyst associated with intrathoracic meningocele in a child.

Congenital spinal intradural arachnoid cyst associated with intrathoracic meningocele is very rare. We report a case in a 9-year-old Chinese boy who presented with a two-week history of progressive paraparesis and gait ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that a dorsal intradural extramedullary cystic lesion extended from T1 to T5 and compressed the spinal cord. A left lateral intrathoracic meningocele pouch was found incidentally at the level of T1. The arachnoid cyst as well as meningocele was removed and the spinal cord compression was relieved. Arachnoid cyst was confirmed by histological examination. The patient recovered well postoperatively. This is the second report of such a case in the world according to the available literature. The take-home message for our case is that the surgical approach should be individualized, depending on the size and location.