SW1088 Cells

The SW1088 cell line is a human glioma-derived line established from a tumor biopsy of the cerebral cortex. It is classified histologically as an astrocytoma and was originally reported in a study of tumorigenic human cell lines capable of forming tumors in nude mice. In that context, SW1088 was shown to form solid tumors when inoculated subcutaneously into immunodeficient hosts, although tumor development required longer latency periods compared to more aggressive glioblastoma cell lines. This suggests a relatively less proliferative or less aggressive phenotype in vivo.

SW1088 cells exhibit characteristics consistent with astrocytic origin and are commonly used in neuro-oncology research to model lower-grade gliomas. Their slower in vivo tumorigenicity compared to high-grade glioblastoma models such as U87MG or U251 reflects biological features relevant to astrocytoma pathology. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling of SW1088 has contributed to understanding molecular differences among glioma subtypes. However, these cells may not fully recapitulate the high-grade glioma phenotype due to their lower proliferation and reduced capacity for rapid tumor formation, making them a more suitable model for studying earlier-stage or less aggressive gliomas.