A correlation between the capacity of cavity formation and the subsequent differentiation of teratocarcinoma embryoid body lines.

Seven different embryoid body (EB) lines of mouse teratocarcinoma were isolated from a single EB. With regard to each of the lines, a comparison was made of the following developmental properties, including potentiality: (1) cavity formation in a short term intraperitoneal passage, (2) growth in vivo, (3) cardiac muscle differentiation in vitro following intraperitoneal passage and (4) differentiation of solid tumours in vivo. These lines could be divided into three distinct groups with respect to their capacity for cardiac muscle differentiation. It has been shown that a high capacity for cell differentiation in vitro correlates well with the capacity for cavity formation of an EB during the in vivo period. This cavity formation was followed by the appearance of primitive-streak-like structures, from which mesodermal cells were subsequently formed.