Chromosomal heterogeneity in the RAG and MSWBS mouse tumor cell lines.

By means of a Q-banding technique, virtually every chromosome in two heteroploid mouse cell lines, RAG and MSWBS, has been identified. The origin of 60 to 80% of the chromosomes has been established; the remaining chromo somes can be identified as markers characteristic of the cell line. The extent of chromosome heterogeneity has been ex amined and compared in these two mouse tumor cell lines. Each line is remarkably heterogeneous and, even within a line, cells with the same total chromosome number have karyotypes that differ considerably. There are distinctive differences in the chromosomal makeup of the two lines.