Cell Line: SK-MEL-2

Cell Description: Human malignant melanoma, metastasis to skin of thigh

Culture medium: MEM (Eagle) with Earle´s BSS, sodium bicarbonate, 2 mM L-glutamine, 1,0 mM sodium pyruvate, 0,1mM non-essential amino acids + 10% FBS

Subculture routine: Remove medium, add fresh trypsin (0,25%) solution, rinse and remove. Place flask at room tmperature (or incubate at 37°C) until cells detach (s-10 minutes). Add fresh medium, aspirate and dispense into new flasks.

Subcultivation ratio: 1:3 to 1:6

Morphology: Polygonal

Growth Properties: Monolayer, transferred 1:2,5 weekly

Karyotype: Chromosome Frequency Distribution 50 Cells: 2n=46.

This is a hypertriploid human cell line. The modal chromosome number is 48 occurring at 36%, with polyploidy (2s) at 40%. Six marker chromosomes {der (22) t (1; 22) (q11; q13.3), t (5ql7q), t (14q17q), and 3 others}, are common to most if not all metaphases examined. The t(1;22) is generally paired. I(1p) and t(1p;15q) are found in some cells only. Normal N1, N5, N11, N13, N14 and N 17 have single copies per cell. Nearly half of the metaphases scanned had the 2s count.

Patient Data: Age 60; Sex male; Race Caucasian; Blood Type A+

Isoenzymes: PGM1, 1; PGM3, 1; ES-D, 1; AK1, 1;GLO-1, 2; G6PD, B.

Sterility: Tests for mycoplasma, bacteria and fungi were negative

Biosafety Level: 1

ATCC designation: HTB 68