PC3

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Human prostate cancer cell line

PC3 is a human prostate cancer cell line commonly used in cancer research and drug discovery. It was originally derived from a bone metastasis of a grade IV prostate adenocarcinoma from a 62-year-old Caucasian male. PC3 cells are known for their aggressive nature and are used extensively to study the mechanisms of prostate cancer progression and metastasis.

Characteristics

PC3 cells exhibit an epithelial morphology and are characterized by their high proliferative capacity and ability to form tumors in immunocompromised mice. They are androgen-independent, meaning they do not require androgens for growth, which makes them a valuable model for studying advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to androgen deprivation therapy.

Applications

PC3 cells are widely used in various areas of cancer research, including:

• Drug screening: Testing the efficacy of new anticancer drugs.
• Molecular biology: Studying the genetic and molecular pathways involved in prostate cancer.
• Metastasis research: Investigating the mechanisms by which prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, particularly the bone.

Culturing PC3 Cells

PC3 cells are typically cultured in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1% penicillin-streptomycin. They are maintained at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% carbon dioxide (CO2).

See also

• Prostate cancer
• Cancer cell line
• Androgen-independent cancer
• Bone metastasis