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PtK2 Cells are a cell line derived from male rat-kangaroo (Potorous tridactylis) epithelial kidney cells. This cell line is used for a variety of application in biomedical research but is particularly popular as a model for mitosis.
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Origin
The PtK2 cell line was established by Kristen Walen and Spencer Brown in 1962. Cells from the rat kangaroo were selected as the source of a cell line because this species has only a small number of chromosomes and these chromosomes are easily visualized under a microscope. This makes these cells particularly suited to studying mitosis.
Characteristics
PtK2 cells are relatively large and when grown in a monolayer stay flat throughout the cell cycle unlike many cells that round up during mitosis. PtK2 cells are resistant to adenovirus 5, coxsackievirus B5, and poliovirus 2. They are susceptible to coxsackievirus A9, herpes simplex, vaccinia, and vesicular stomatitis (Ogden strain). PtK2 cells contain intermediate filaments composed of Keratin.