Caki-1 Cells

The Caki-1 cell line is derived from a metastatic site of a human renal clear cell carcinoma. Established from a tumor located in the wall of the renal vein of a male patient, Caki-1 cells are commonly used in the study of renal cancer biology, especially in understanding the mechanisms underlying clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). This cell line is epithelial-like in morphology and exhibits robust in vitro growth characteristics, making it suitable for a variety of experimental techniques, including drug screening and molecular biology studies.
Caki-1 is particularly notable for its complex karyotype, characterized by a modal chromosome number of 68, with variations ranging from 63 to 71. This aneuploid chromosome configuration highlights a triploid range with certain abnormalities; notably, the Y chromosome is absent, which is not unusual in male-derived tumor cell lines. The cell line demonstrates several chromosomal aberrations, including multiple marker chromosomes and alterations in chromosomes N5, N9, N10, N16, and N19, contributing to its utility in cancer research.
In terms of tumorigenicity, Caki-1 is capable of forming tumors in nude mice and has been reported to consistently produce clear cell carcinoma, mirroring the pathology of the renal primary tumor. This characteristic makes it an invaluable model for in vivo studies of renal cancer metastasis and tumor biology. The cell line has also been observed to metastasize to the skin in experimental settings. From a biochemical perspective, Caki-1 expresses a variety of isoenzymes and antigens, including blood type O, Rh-, and HLA types A9, B12, Bw35. Isoenzyme profiling includes AK-1, ES-D, G6PD B, GLO-I, Me-2, PGM1, and PGM3, which may be relevant in studies of cellular metabolism and genetic expression related to cancer progression and response to treatments.