The WIRL-3 rat liver cell lines and their transformed derivatives.

the characteristics associated with hepatocytes. They have glucose 6-phosphatase activity, secrete serum globulin, and, in confluent monolayers, show tight cell junctions and intercellular canaliculi resembling bile canaliculi. On the other hand, the cells have low levels of inducible tyrosine aminotransferase, no detectable 6-aminolevulinic acid synthetase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity that is inducible with benz(a)anthracene but not phénobarbital. The morphologically transformed cell lines produce tumors in the hamster cheek pouch, and a suspension cul ture derived from one of the lines produces an ascites and solid tumors when inoculated i.p. into rats. The tumors resemble hepatomas.