NAMALWA cells

Disease:

Burkitt's lymphoma

Origin:

Established from the tumor mass of an African child with Burkitt lymphoma in 1967; cells express MYC mRNA

Species:

Homo sapiens

Tissue:

B lymphocyte

Morphology:

Lymphoblast; lymphoblastoid

Properties:

Single cells or small clusters in suspension

Cytogenic data:

Human hypodiploid karyotype with 4% polyploidy - 44(43-46)< 2n> X, -Y, -5, -6, +7, -10, -13, -21, +3mar, ins(1; ?)(p11; ?), ins(3)(q11q29), der(5)t(1; 5)(q25; q35), del(8)(p22), der(14)t(14; ?)(p11; ?), der(15)t(15; 21)(p11; q11) - a supernumerary ring or fragment present in 8% of cells - NAMALWA marker chromosomes present

Patient:

Female, African, 3 yrs of age

Medium:

RPMI-1640 Medium + 10% FBS + 10 mM HEPES + 1.0 mM sodium pyruvate

Subculture:

Cultures can be maintained by the addition of fresh medium or replacement of medium. Maintain at 0.5-1.5 x 10^6 cells/ml; split 1:2 to 1:3 every 2-3 days; subculture cells at 1 x 10^6 cells/ml; 5% CO2; 37C

Freezing Medium:

Complete culture medium supplemented with 5% (v/v) DMSO