Morphologic evidence for retrovirus production by epithelial cells derived from a human testicular tumor metastasis

Abstract

Ultrastructural examination of primary and subcultured epithelial cells established in vitro from an abdominal metastasis of a human testicular tumor revealed particles with the morphology of retroviruses. These structures, found only after extensive scanning of the cells, were observed budding from microvilli and from the outer cell membrane and as extracellular particles. Production of these virus particles was stimulated by the incubation of cells in culture medium containing 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine and dexamethasone.