Effects of carcinogens on the partition of cells in aqueous polymeric two-phase systems

Discrimination between malignant cells and their normal counterparts by surface properties has been demonstrated by means of two-phase aqueous polymer systems. Primary cultures of normal rat fibroblasts were treated with carcinogens DMBA and DEN. Nonmaliguant mouse fibroblasts of permanent line $\text{C}{}_3\text{HlOTl}\text{2}$ were treated with carcinogen DB(a,h)A. These treatments change their partition in the direction of their malignant counterparts. Noncarcinogenic phenanthrene affected the cell partition in the reverse direction. The possibility of using two-phase aqueous polymer systems for testing carcinogenic chemicals is discussed.