NOVEL METHOD OF CULTURING HUMAN EPITHELIAL CELLS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF CANCER THERAPEUTICS AND DIAGNOSTICS

摘要

Methods are provided for obtaining primary cultures of human breast, colonic and prostate epithelial cells using a fibroblast co-culture tissue culture system. The methods can be used to obtain normal, precancerous and malignant epithelial cell cultures. Methods are also provided for deriving substantially pure epithelial cell strains from the primary cultures, and for immortalizing the cell strains to provide cell lines. The primary cultures, cell strains and cell lines are used in biological and biochemical in vitro screening and/or diagnostic assays.