Cell Line: BeWo

Cell Description: Human placenta choriocarcinoma

Culture medium: Ham´s F12K medium with sodium bicarbonate, 2mM L-glutamine and 1,0mM sodium pyruvate, 90%; FBS 10%. Daily medium renewals are required to prevent glucose exhaustion.

Subculture routine: seeding at 4x10⁴ cells / cm²; Fluid renewal 3 to 4 times weekly. Split confluent cultures 1:3, using trypsin/EDTA: Remove medium, add fresh 0,0025% trypsin, 0,03% EDTA for several minutes, remove trypsin and let culture sit at 37°C for 10 to 20 minutes. Add fresh medium, aspirate and dispense into new flasks.

Morphology: epithelial, monolayer.

Describtion: The cells are positive for keratin by immunoperoxidase staining

Karyology: 2n = 46

Sterility: Tests for mycoplasma, bacteria and fungi were negative

Biosafety Level: 1

Isoenzymes: G6PD, B

Reverse transcripase: negative

Virus susceptibility: poliovirus 3; vesicular stomatitis (Indiana)

Products: hormones; progesterone; human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); human chorionic somatomammotropin (placental lactogen); estrogen; estrone; estriol; estradiol; keratin

ECACC number: 86082803

ATCC designation: CCL 98

Reference: Cancer Research, (1968), 28, 1231; Science, (1968), 159, 1467; Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, (1959), 102, 77