Description

SK-N-MC was originally described as a neuroblastoma cell line. It is now widely regarded as having originated from an Askin’s tumor (Ewing family of tumors). These cells harbor the oncogenic EWS-FLI1 chromosomal rearrangement. They were initially found to contain double-minute chromosomes, which were lost upon prolonged in vitro culture. The SK-N-MC cells have little or no dopamine-b-hydroxylase activity but show elevated choline acetyltransferase activity compared to other neuroblastoma cell lines such as the SK-N-SH and SH-SY5Y. These cells are known to form tumors in immunocompromised mice.

Source

This cell line was established in 1971 from a metastatic site (supra-orbital region) in a 14-year-old Caucasian female with an Askin’s tumor.

Inventors

• June L. Biedler, PhD, former Chairman, Cell Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering
• Lawrence Helson, MD,  formerly at Memorial Sloan Kettering
• Barbara A. Spengler, formerly at Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering

Key References

• Biedler JL et al. (1973) Morphology and growth, tumorigenicity, and cytogenetics of human neuroblastoma cells in continuous culture. Cancer Research 33: 2643-2652 (PubMed ID: 4748425)
• Helson L et al. (1975) Human neuroblastoma in nude mice. Cancer Research 35: 2594-2599 (PubMed ID: 167965)
• Biedler JL et al. (1978) Multiple neurotransmitter synthesis by human neuroblastoma cell lines and clones. Cancer Research 38: 3751-3757 (PubMed ID: 29704)

Licensing Information

This cell line may be licensed nonexclusively for research or commercial purposes.

• Express License:  For internal research purposes by a for-profit entity:  1) Fill out MSK’s ATCC Express License, see here for links to the online fillable ATCC Express License, as well as a PDF version.  2) After execution by MSK, you will receive a signed copy, and can then place your order with ATCC. For detailed guidance on how to fill out this webform, see here. Please note:  In order to streamline and expedite the licensing of select MSK cell lines, the terms of this non-exclusive license are non-negotiable. This license is only available for select cell lines, including this one. Once this license has been executed by MSK, you will receive a signed copy and payment instructions; all payments up to $10,000 must be made by credit card.
• Commercial License: Contact MSK’s Tangible Materials team at [email protected].
• For non-licensing requests from academic-research institutions: Contact Frances Weis-Garcia, PhD, Associate Laboratory Member/Head, Antibody & Bioresource Core Facility, MSK, 646-888-2354, [email protected].