Growth in culture of adenocarcinoma cells from the small intestine of sheep.

Explant cultures were initiated from adenocarcinoma of the small intestine in sheep and from various metastases. Several cell types grew, most being fibroblastic in nature. However, 2 cultures yielded mixed cells which arranged themselves into areas of epithelial-like cells surrounded by fibroblast-like cells and this pattern was consistent over 30 subcultures and several months of culturing. The epithelial-like cells were separated from the others by the use of a modified medium containing citrulline or by sedimentation through a bovine serum albumin solution. Various properties, including their growth rate in 5% and 0.5% serum, the absence of surface fibronectin and their ability to grow in semi-solid agar, indicated that they may represent carcinoma cells. Screening for virus production from these cells and all other explant cultures proved negative.