A simple procedure for removal of intra- and extra-tumoral macrophages from primary tumor cultures

Summary Improved growth of tumor cells in primary cell suspensions isolated from solid tumors can be achieved by addition of an antifungal agent, mycostatin, to the culture medium. Mycostatin inhibits the cytotoxicity of macrophages and also quickly detaches phagocytes without any apparent retardation of the growth of tumor cells. This method is particularly useful for obtaining cultures of lung tumor cells or cells from lung metastases of other tumors.This research was supported in part by grants CA-22839 and CA-28482 awarded by the National Cancer Institute, DHEW, USA. This is publication No. 406 from the Department of Basic and Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Medical University of South Carolina.We thank Charles L. Smith for editorial assistance. Address correspondence to Y. Y., Department of Basic and Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29403, USA.