Fractionation of Cell Types in Ehrlich Ascites Fluid by Sucrose Gradient Centrifugation. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Mixed cell types present in Ehrlich ascites tumor fluid have been separated by centrifugation through a sucrose gradient. The method affords a fractionation into 4 distinct bands of cell types. One of these appears to consist of pure ascites tumor cells, although no special technics were applied to determine whether any large mononuclears are also present in this band. Ascites cells removed from the gradient appear to be intact. The cell membrane is somewhat crinated and ratio of cytoplasmic to nuclear volume reduced owing to a certain amount of shrinkage through dehydration. The cells have been shown to be viable after contact with hypertonic sucrose in the gradient. Their oxygen uptake is equivalent to that of fresh untreated ascites cells, and they are capable of producing tumors when inoculated into mice. The separation technic forms a useful basis for study of tumor cells—lymphocyte inter-relationships in ascites fluid.