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Introduction to NCI-60 Human Cancer Cell Lines

The late 1980s saw the development and creation of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 60 human tumor cell line anticancer drug discovery project. This project was intended to screen thousands of pharmacological compounds for anticancer activity, thus replacing earlier cumbersome en vivo models. The 60 created cell lines represent nine human cancers: breast, central nervous system, colon, kidney, leukemia, lung, melanoma, ovary, and prostate. Since its inception, the testing of anticancer drugs using the NCI-60 panel has generated the most extensive cancer pharmacology database in the world.³ It has also provided invaluable knowledge in genome mutations, drug – tumor interactions and general tumor biology.

Nexcelom performed Cellometer image cytometry on all NCI-60 cancer cell lines. Every cell sample was individually stained with trypan blue, imaged and analyzed using the Cellometer Auto T4. Each sample was assessed for viability and cell size. The ability to accurately measure cell viability and cell size are two important components in determining the functionality of anticancer compounds. Cell death, or reduced cell size in certain tumor cell lines could be an indicator of compound efficacy.

NCI-60 Human Cancer Cell Lines

Using the Cellometer Auto T4, we imaged and counted every NCI-60 cancer cell line, obtaining the cell concentration, viability, and cell size. Shown here, are the enlarged representative images of each cell line. Since all of the cells were stained with trypan blue, we show the stained trypan blue image as well as the Cellometer counted image.

The cells are organized alphabetically by the organ or origin.

Download Excel Table: Cell size distribution for all 60 NCI cancer cell lines

NCI-60 Breast Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 breast cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

BT-549 cells

Hs 578T

MCF7

MDA-MB-231

MDA-MB-468

T-47D

NCI-60 Central Nervous System Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 central nervous system cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

SF-268

SF-295

SF-539

SNB-19

SNB-75

U251

NCI-60 Colon Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 colon cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

Colo205

HCC-2998

HCT-116

HCT-15

HT29

KM12

SW-620

NCI-60 Kidney Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 kidney cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

786-O

A498

ACHN

CAKI-1

RXF 393

SN12C

TK-10

UO-31

NCI-60 Leukemia Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 leukemia cell lines.. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

CCRF-CEM

HL-60

K-562

MOLT-4

RPMI-8226

SR

NCI-60 Lung Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 lung cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

A549

EKVX

HOP-62

HOP-92

NCI-H226

NCI-H23

NCI-H322M

NCI-H460

NCI-H522

NCI-60 Melanoma Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 melanoma cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

LOX-IMVI

M14

MALME-3M

MDA-MB-435

SK-MEL-2

SK-MEL-28

SK-MEL-5

UACC-257

UACC-62

NCI-60 Ovarian Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 ovarian cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

IGROV1

NCI/ADR-RES

OVCAR-3

OVCAR-4

OVCAR-5

OVCAR-8

SK-OV-3

NCI-60 Prostate Cell Lines

Shown below are stained trypan blue images and Cellometer counted images of NCI-60 prostate cell lines. Counted live cells are outlined in green while the dead trypan blue positive cells are outlined in red.

DU-145

PC-3

List and Description of NCI-60 Cancer Cell Lines

Name	Species	Organ of Origin	Doubling Time (Hrs)	Disease	Culture
BT549	Human	Breast	53.9	Ductal Carcinoma	Adherent
HS 578T	Human	Breast	53.8	Carcinoma	Adherent
MCF7	Human	Breast	25.4	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
MDA-MB-231	Human	Breast	41.9	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
MDA-MB-468	Human	Breast	62	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
T-47D	Human	Breast	45.5	Ductal Carcinoma	Adherent
SF268	Human	CNS	33.1	Anaplastic Astrocytoma	Adherent
SF295	Human	CNS	29.5	Glioblastoma-Multiforme	Adherent
SF539	Human	CNS	35.4	Glioblastoma	Adherent
SNB-19	Human	CNS	34.6	Glioblastoma	Adherent
SNB-75	Human	CNS	62.8	Astrocytoma	Adherent
U251	Human	CNS	23.8	Glioblastoma	Adherent
Colo205	Human	Colon	23.8	Dukes' type D, Colorectal adenocarcinoma	Adherent & Suspension
HCC 2998	Human	Colon	31.5	Carcinoma	Adherent
HCT-116	Human	Colon	17.4	Carcinoma	Adherent
HCT-15	Human	Colon	20.6	Dukes' type C, Colorectal adenocarcinoma	Adherent
HT29	Human	Colon	19.5	Colorectal adenocarcinoma	Adherent
KM12	Human	Colon	23.7	Adenocarcinoma, Grade III	Adherent
SW620	Human	Colon	20.4	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
786-O	Human	Kidney	22.4	renal cell adenocarcinoma	Adherent
A498	Human	Kidney	66.8	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
ACHN	Human	Kidney	27.5	renal cell adenocarcinoma	Adherent
CAKI	Human	Kidney	39	clear cell carcinoma	Adherent
RXF 393	Human	Kidney	62.9	Poorly Differentiated Hypernephroma	Adherent
SN12C	Human	Kidney	29.5	Carcinoma	Adherent
TK-10	Human	Kidney	51.3	Spindle Cell carcinoma	Adherent
UO-31	Human	Kidney	41.7	Carcinoma	Adherent
CCRF-CEM	Human	Leukemia	26.7	acute lymphoblastic leukemia	Suspension
HL-60	Human	Leukemia	28.6	acute promyelocytic leukemia	Suspension
K562	Human	Leukemia	19.6	chronic myelogenous leukemia	Suspension
MOLT-4	Human	Leukemia	27.9	acute lymphoblastic leukemia	Suspension
RPMI-8226	Human	Leukemia	33.5	plasmacytoma, myeloma	Suspension
SR	Human	Leukemia	28.7	Large Cell, Immunoblastic	Suspension
A549	Human	Lung	22.9	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
EKVX	Human	Lung	43.6	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
HOP-62	Human	Lung	39	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
HOP-92	Human	Lung	79.5	Large Cell, Undifferentiated	Adherent & Suspension
NCI-H226	Human	Lung	61	squamous cell carcinoma; mesothelioma	Adherent
NCI-H23	Human	Lung	33.4	adenocarcinoma; non-small cell lung cancer	Adherent
NCI-H322M	Human	Lung	35.3	Small Cell Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma	Suspension
NCI-H460	Human	Lung	17.8	carcinoma; large cell lung cancer	Adherent
NCI-H522	Human	Lung	38.2	adenocarcinoma; non-small cell lung cancer	Adherent
LOX IMVI	Human	Melanoma	20.5	Malignant Amelanotic melanoma	Semi-Adherent
M14	Human	Melanoma	26.3	malignant melanoma	Adherent
MALME-3M	Human	Melanoma	46.2	malignant melanoma	Adherent & Suspension
MDA-MB-435	Human	Melanoma	25.8	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
SK-MEL-2	Human	Melanoma	45.5	malignant melanoma	Adherent
SK-MEL-28	Human	Melanoma	35.1	malignant melanoma	Adherent
SK-MEL-5	Human	Melanoma	25.2	malignant melanoma	Adherent
UACC-257	Human	Melanoma	38.5	malignant melanoma	Adherent
UACC-62	Human	Melanoma	31.3	malignant melanoma	Adherent
IGROV1	Human	Ovary	31	Cystoadenocarcinoma	Adherent
OVCAR-3	Human	Ovary	34.7	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
OVCAR-4	Human	Ovary	41.4	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
OVCAR-5	Human	Ovary	48.8	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
OVCAR-8	Human	Ovary	26.1	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
SK-OV-3	Human	Ovary	48.7	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
NCI-ADR-RES	Human	Ovary	34	Adenocarcinoma	Adherent
DU145	Human	Prostate	32.3	Carcinoma	Adherent
PC-3	Human	Prostate	27.1	grade IV, adenocarcinoma	Adherent

Compiled data from multiple sources ^{1, 2, 3}

Download the full NCI-60 cancer cell line data list, which includes the cell size measurements of all 60 cell lines.

Conclusions

The Cellometer line of instruments is capable of measuring the cell concentration, viability, and cell size of all 60 NCI cancer cell lines. The innovative "Accurate Cell Membrane Outline Algorithm" assures that all cell samples are de-clustered and counted properly. The ability of the Cellometer instruments to accurately and consistently measure cell concentration, viability, and cell size provides researchers with a reliable tool in their cancer research.

Publications Using Cellometer Counting for NCI-60 Cancer Cell Lines

Tedeschi PM, Markert EK, Gounder M, et al. (2013) Contribution of serine, folate and glycine metabolism to the ATP, NADPH and purine requirements of cancer cells. Cell Death & Disease 4:e877.
Dolfi SC, Chan LL, Qiu J, et al. (2013) The metabolic demands of cancer cells are coupled to their size and protein synthesis rates. Cancer & Metabolism 1(1):20.

Additional Citations

Jerry M. Collins, Developmental Therapeutics Program NCI/NIH. http://dtp.nci.nih.gov/
DTP, DCTD Tumor Repository. A Catalog of in Vitro Cell Lines, Transplantable Animal and Human Tumors and Yeast. The Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), National Cancer Institute. 2013
Abaan OD, Polley EC, Davis SR, et al. (2013) The exomes of the NCI-60 panel: a genomic resource for cancer biology and systems pharmacology. Cancer Research.