Characterization of ascites-derived ovarian tumor cells from spontaneously occurring ovarian tumors of the chicken: evidence for E-cadherin upregulation.

ABSTRACT: Ovarian cancer, a highly metastatic disease, is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Chickens are widely used as a model for human ovarian cancer as they spontaneously develop epithelial ovarian tumors similar to humans. The cellular and molecular biology of chicken ovarian cancer (COVCAR) cells, however, have not been studied. Our objectives were to culture COVCAR cells and to characterize their invasiveness and expression of genes and proteins associated with ovarian cancer. COVCAR cell lines (n = 13) were successfully maintained in culture for up to19 passages, cryopreserved and found to be viable upon thawing and replating. E-cadherin, cytokeratin and α-smooth muscle actin were localized in COVCAR cells by immunostaining. COVCAR cells were found to be invasive in

SUBMITTER: Tiwari A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3583847 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature