NIH/3T3 cells are derived from:
NIH/3T3 line derives from Swiss albino mouse embryo fibroblasts harvested at gestational day 16-18 and disaggregated. Name denotes National Institutes of Health and 3-day transfer protocol inoculating 3 x 10^5 cells per dish developed by George Todaro and Howard Green in 1962. By repeated passage at low density, cells overcoming senescence crisis became spontaneously immortalized while maintaining contact inhibition and anchorage dependence, hallmark of non-transformed fibroblasts. Karyotype shows aneuploidy but relatively stable compared to tumor lines, with near 68 chromosomes. 3T3 cells exh
Ref: Todaro GJ & Green H J Cell Biol 1963 3T3 embryonic fibroblasts; ATCC CRL-1658 NIH/3T3 origin and contact inhibition.
