LMH Cells

LMH cells, derived from a Leghorn male hepatoma, are a versatile cell line widely used in biological research. Tomoyuki Kitagawa established them in 1981 at the Cancer Institute in Tokyo, Japan. These cells have an epithelial phenotype and are particularly useful for studying host-pathogen interactions in the gastrointestinal tract of poultry. LMH cells are adherent and exhibit a dendritic-like morphology. They express glucose-6-phosphatase and weak canalicular ATPase activity. With a triploid karyotype and six marker chromosomes, these cells display distinct genetic characteristics.Notably, LMH cells have been shown to efficiently support duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) DNA synthesis when transfected with viral constructs. This makes them an invaluable tool for virology research, particularly in the context of poultry-related viral infections.The derivation of LMH cells involved inducing tumorous nodules in the liver of Leghorn chickens through long-term treatment with diethylnitrosamine. These cells have also been chemically transformed, allowing for their immortalization and continuous propagation in culture. In terms of tumorigenicity, LMH cells have the ability to form tumors in athymic nude mice. This characteristic makes them an important model for studying hepatocellular carcinoma. LMH cells express the estrogen receptor and can be induced to express the liver-specific apolipoprotein II (apoII) gene. This indicates their involvement in estrogen signaling pathways and lipid metabolism. To culture LMH cells, it is necessary to precoat tissue culture vessels with collagen. This ensures proper cell adhesion and growth.