Human cancer cell lines

Human cancer cell lines are immortalized cell populations derived from human tumors that are capable of indefinite proliferation in laboratory cultures (Masters, 2000, Nature Reviews Cancer). They serve as the workhorse of oncology research, providing a scalable and reproducible platform for studying cancer biology and evaluating the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents (Gillet et al., 2013, Journal of the National Cancer Institute). These cell lines are used in high-throughput screening to identify compounds that inhibit cell growth or induce cell death, often through specific molecular targets like kinases or receptors (NCI-60 Human Tumor Cell Line Screen, NIH). While they are essential for early-stage drug discovery, they are considered experimental models rather than therapeutic targets themselves. A significant challenge in using these lines is that they often fail to capture the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and can undergo genetic drift, leading to results that may not translate to clinical settings (Ben-David et al., 2018, Nature). Furthermore, cross-contamination and misidentification remain persistent issues in the field, necessitating rigorous authentication (Capes-Davis et al., 2010, International Journal of Cancer).

Other names

Cancer cell linesTumor cell linesImmortalized human cancer cellsNCI-60 panel

Not applicable; human cancer cell lines are experimental model systems used to evaluate drug effects rather than being molecular targets themselves.