Cancer cell line

Cancer cell line refers to a culture of cells that are derived from a cancer patient's tumor. These cell lines are used extensively in biomedical research to study the biology of cancer and to test potential cancer treatments.

History

The first cancer cell line, known as HeLa, was established in 1951 from the cervical cancer cells of a woman named Henrietta Lacks. Since then, thousands of cancer cell lines have been developed from many types of cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.

Characteristics

Cancer cell lines are characterized by their ability to proliferate indefinitely, a property known as immortality. This is due to mutations in genes that regulate cell division and cell death. Cancer cell lines also often have abnormal karyotypes, with changes in the number and structure of chromosomes.

Uses

Cancer cell lines are used in a variety of research applications. They are used to study the genetics and molecular biology of cancer, to test the efficacy of new chemotherapy drugs, and to develop personalized medicine strategies based on the genetic profile of individual tumors.

Limitations

While cancer cell lines are a valuable tool in cancer research, they also have limitations. They do not fully replicate the complexity of tumors in the body, which are composed of many different types of cells and are influenced by the surrounding tissue microenvironment. In addition, cancer cell lines can accumulate additional mutations over time, which can alter their behavior and make them less representative of the original tumor.

See also

• Cell culture
• Tumor model
• Cancer research