Abstract: Continuous cell lines have been established from adrenocortical corcinomas. The cell lines are maintained in fully defined serum-free, steroid-free mediums. The cells of the invention, as exemplified by NCI-H295 cells, express all of the major pathways of steroid-ogenesis, including formation of corticosteroids, mineralocorticoids and androgens.

Abstract: Using a serum-free defined medium, a human cell line, NCI-H929, was established from a malignant effusion occuring in a patient with IgAk myeloma. The cultured cells have the morphologic, ultrastructural, biochemical, immunologic and cytochemical features of plasma cells. The cells have rearranged alpha and kappa genes and synthesize and secrete very high amounts of IgAk (>80 .mu.g/10.sup.6 cells/24 hr). The cells express surface immunoglobulin (alpha and kappa), the plasma cell antigen PCA-1, the transferrin receptor (T9) and T10, but lack antigens associated with earlier stages of B cell development (HLA-DR, B1, B2, B4, CALLA), as well as other leukocyte-macrophage antigens and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen. While the tumor cells were predominantly near-diploid, the cultured cells are predominantly near-tetraploid with six copies of chromosome 8, four to six of which have an 8q+ abnormality.