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The generation of human monocyte/macrophage cell lines

Nature volume 306, pages 597–599 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

The development of continuous murine macrophage-like cell lines has permitted direct and somatic cell genetic approaches to a variety of functions of murine mononuclear phagocytes1–3. However, few, if any, human cell lines exist that have the general characteristics of macrophages, although a pro-monocyte line, U937, has been reported which can be induced to differentiate into non-dividing cells with macrophage-like properties4. Although murine macrophage-like lines have been obtained by transformation with simian virus 40 (SV40)5,6, this technique has not, in general, been useful in producing human cell lines, presumably because SV40 causes a lytic infection in human cells. We have therefore developed a method for transfecting primary human monocytes with SV40 DNA deleted in the origin of replication. Using this method, we have now, we believe for the first time, generated transformed human cell lines with macrophage characteristics. Three cell lines from three transfections of human monocytes expressed macrophage enzymes, phagocytic function, surface receptors including HLA-DR and DS and alloantigen presenting activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461, USA

    Yumiko Nagata, Betty Diamond & Barry R. Bloom

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  1. Yumiko Nagata
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  2. Betty Diamond
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  3. Barry R. Bloom
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Nagata, Y., Diamond, B. & Bloom, B. The generation of human monocyte/macrophage cell lines. Nature 306, 597–599 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/306597a0

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