Amœboid Motility of Fresh Tumour Cells

Abstract

Using the fresh ascitic fluid of ascites tumours, and no other medium, I have studied the amœboid motility of living tumour cells. The Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and three strains of the ascites hepatoma, AH130, AH 602 and AH 7974, which are transplantable ascites carcinomas of the rat established by Yoshida¹, were used. The method was as follows. A small amount of ascitic fluid was withdrawn at any time from the peritoneal cavity of host animals by means of a fine, sterile glass pipette. One drop of fresh undiluted ascitic fluid was immediately placed on the centre of a clean cover-slip, forming a globule about 5 mm. in diameter. The excess ascitic fluid was removed with the glass pipette to leave a thin flat covering of fluid. The cover-slip was then inverted over a depression slide having a depression 15 mm. in diameter and 0.5 mm. in depth, around the rim of which sufficient vaseline had been smeared to act as a seal. A slight pressure was applied to the cover-slip to seal it completely with the slide. The hanging-drop preparation was then ready for microscopic observation. The observations were carried out at 37° C. in a chamber equipped with an electric warmer.