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The British Journal of Cancer. Supplement logoLink to The British Journal of Cancer. Supplement
. 1980 Apr;4:217–221.

Response of an in vivo-in vitro tumour to X-rays and cytotoxic drugs: effect of tumour disaggregation method on cell survival.

J S Rasey, N J Nelson
PMCID: PMC2149195  PMID: 6158976

Abstract

EMT-6/UW tumours were treated in vivo with X-rays, cyclophosphamide, or bleomycin. Cell survival was assayed in vitro following tumour disaggregation with trypsin or an enzyme cocktail (EC) consisting of pronase, collagenase and DNase which gives a 10-20 x higher cell yield. Surviving fraction was lower after cyclophosphamide treatment for cells isolated with EC than for cells prepared with trypsin. The opposite result was obtained with bleomycin; trypsin-isolated cells appeared more sensitive. In attempting to determine the basis for this discrepancy, it was found that both dissociation methods isolate a non-representative cell sample with fewer cells in DNA synthesis (12-13%) than in the original tumour (approximately 22%). The specific nature of the interaction between the injury caused by drug and enzyme remains to be elucidated.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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