Mammary-carcinoma cells in mouse liver: infiltration of liver tissue and interaction with Kupffer cells.

Interactions between TA3 mammary-carcinoma cells and liver cells were studied with the electron microscope in mouse livers that had been perfused with a defined medium containing the tumour cells. Infiltration of liver tissue by the TA3 cells proceeded in the following steps. First, numerous small protrusions were extended through endothelial cells and into hepatocytes. Next, some cells had larger processes deeply indenting hepatocytes. Finally a few tumour cells became located outside the blood vessels. Two variant cell lines, TA3/Ha and TA3/St, differing in cell coat and surface charge, did not differ in the extent of infiltration. TA3/Ha cells were often encircled by thin processes of liver macrophages (Kupffer cells). Encircled cells were initially intact, but later some of them degenerated. These observations suggest that TA3/Ha cells were phagocytized by the Kupffer cells. Encirclement appeared to be inhibited after only 30 min, when many cells were still partly surrounded. Encirclement of TA3/St was much less frequent. After injection of tumour cells intra-portally in vivo, similar results were obtained, which demonstrated the validity of the perfused liver model. TA3/Ha cells formed much fewer tumour nodules in the liver than TA3/St cells.