Incorporation and Release of H 3 -Catecholamines by Cultured Fetal Human Sympathetic Nerve Cells and Neuroblastoma Cells. ∗

Summary

Neuroblastoma cells from 8 children and dissociated human sympathetic nerve cells from 10 fetuses were grown in tissue culture. Sympathetic nerve cells from all of the fetuses and 5 of 8 neuroblastomas rapidly incorporated H³-norepinephrine or its precursor, H³-dopamine. There was a more rapid turnover of these catecholamines in the tumor cells than in the normal fetal human sympathetic nerve cells. Three neuroblastomas showed little or no incorporation of these amines.