Although it is well known that fibroblasts can overgrow melanoma cells in culture during early passaging, some investigators have claimed recently that these fibroblast-like cells are actually melanocytes de-differentiated in vitro. In order to test these claims, we examined 27 melanoma-derived cell lines using anti-melanoma and anti-fibroblast monoclonal antibodies, the dioxyphenylalanine cytochemical reaction specific for melanocytes, the leucine aminopeptidase cytochemical reaction for fibroblast cells, and chromosomal analysis. All these assays - which discriminate melanomas from fibroblasts - confirmed our initial classification by morphology, namely that thirteen of the lines were melanocytic and twelve were fibroblastic, while the remaining two were a mixture of the two cell types. There was no indication of a mixed phenotype which would have been the result of some transaction in the state of differentiation. Our results suggest that the 27 cell lines and cultures are composed of pure melanocytic populations, or are fibroblasts as a result of fibroblast overgrowth. The two cultures containing a mixed cell population are those in which one cell type has not overtaken the other. There is no evidence to support the idea that some true melanoma cultures have the morphology of fibroblast-like cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevention of isoimmunization to Rhesus factor by anti-D immunoglobulins (510 cases)].

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Blood Group Incompatibility↗

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[Danger of iodine drugs in the pregnant woman].

The authors draw attention to the fact that the possible effects of drugs containing iodine are often neglected during pregnancy. As an example, they report the following observation : "A young woman with benign asthma, treated for 14 years Asthmasedine and Asthmaligne, gave birth, on the 36th week of pregnancy, to a child apparenty dead but who was able to be reanimated. The child showed two types of signs : respiratory distress due to higher neurological disorders and a multinodular, non-compressing goiter. These two complications were caused by a congenital hypothyroidism corroborated by laboratory tests and due to the prolonged absorption of iodinated drugs by the mother". In conclusion, in cases of women receiving during pregnancy high doses of drugs containing iodine (250 such drugs are recorded in the Vidal), it is desirable to control the effect on the fetus and to propose an intra-amniotic therapy with L-Thyroxine, thus allowing a cerebral development close to normal.

Adult↗