Abstract
Recently, the propagation in vitro of the Lansing strain of poliomyelitis virus in human embryonic tissues was reported and evidence presented that this virus is capable of multiplying in cells other than those of nervous origin. 1 These experiments have been continued and this agent now has been carried for a total period of 224 days through 13 serial cultures in which the tissue consisted of mixed human embryonic skin and muscle. This strain has also been maintained for 173 days in two lines of 11 serial cultures each and composed respectively of human embryonic intestine and brain.
Additional experiments described here in a preliminary manner are reported. Two objectives were in mind: (a) to determine whether the Lansing strain was capable of multiplying in completely differentiated non-nervous tissue as well as in embryonic tissue; (b) to determine whether the Brunhilde strain of poliomyelitis virus-a strain immunologically distinct from the Lansing group 2 and not adaptable to rodents-could, like the Lansing strain, be cultivated in non-nervous human embryonic tissues.
Propagation of the Lansing strain in human foreskin tissue. As a source of completely differentiated non-nervous tissue fragments of human foreskin were employed. The use of this tissue was suggested by the report of Blank, Coriell, and Scott, 3 who explanted it on the chorioallantoic membrane according to the method of Goodpasture. The material was derived from patients between 4 and 11 years of age. Each prepuce was sufficient for the preparation of at least 8 cultures and before mincing was washed 2 or 3 times in nutrient fluid 4 containing 50 units each of streptomycin and penicillin per ml. The fluid phase of the cultures, which contained the same concentration of antibiotics was removed and replaced at intervals of 4 days.
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