Two 19-base-long oligonucleotides were synthesized, one complementary to the normal human j-globin gene (pA) and one complementary to the sickle cell (-globin gene (PS).The nonadecanucleotides were radioactively labeled and used as probes in DNA hybridization. Under appropriate hybridization conditions, these probes can be used to distinguish the pJA gene from the 3ss allele. The DNA from individuals homozygous for the normal fi-globin gene (fApA) only hybridized with the plA specific probe; the DNA from those homozygous for the sickle cell ,3-globin gene ((s.(s) only hybridized with the SsS specific probe. The DNA from heterozygous individuals (pATS) hybridized with both probes. This allele-specific hybridization behavior of oligonucleotides provides a general method for diagnosis of any genetic disease which involves a point mutation in the DNA sequence of a single-copy gene.

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A permanent tissue-cultured cell line (designated OK) has been established from kidney tissue of an adult American opossum. The OK line has been characterized with respect to morphology, chromosome constitution, tissue-culture requirements, and attainable mitotic arrest. The cells are epithelial-like with a stable nondiploid chromosomal modal number of 23. Cells grown in Eagle's minimal essential medium with 10% fetal bovine serum have a mean doubling time of 18 hr. The cell line OK is potentially useful for the isolation and purification of the mammalian X chromosome because of the size differential between the smaller X's and the larger autosomes.

Typical and atypical carcinoids constitute less than 5% of lung tumors. They and small cell undifferentiated lung cancers (SCLC) belong to the same family of apudomas arising from bronchopul‐monary Kulchitzky cells. To reflect the overlap among these cancers, the authors suggest calling them Kulchitzky cell carcinomas (KCC); to indicate their spectrum of aggressiveness, the authors suggest calling typical carcinoids KCC‐I, atypical carcinoids KCC‐II, and small cell cancers KCC‐III. One hundred fifty‐six KCCs were reviewed: 115 were KCC‐I and 41 were KCC‐II. The ratio of women to men equals 2:1. At time of initial diagnosis, all patients with KCC‐I, except one patient, were in Stage I. Among patients with KCC‐II, 16 (39%) were in Stages II or III at time of presentation. The incidence of carcinoid syndrome was 1.9%. Treatment was lobectomy in 112 (72%) of patients, the remainder having lesser resections or pneumonectomy in approximately equal distribution. Our data cannot support the use of radical resection in the treatment of KCC because none of the patients died of local recurrence. The mean diameters of KCC‐I and ‐II tumors were 1.5 and 2.8 cm, respectively. Increased mitotic activity and tumor necrosis were reliable criteria for diagnosing KCC‐II. Electron microscopic examination did not help in differentiating KCC‐I and KCC‐II. Thorough sampling of the entire tumor was found to be mandatory for precise diagnosis and for differentiation from KCC‐III (SCLC). Measurement of nuclear DNA was done using integrated optical density (IOD) by image analysis. The IODs of KCC‐I, ‐II and ‐III were 1.36, 1.55 and 1.94, respectively. These significant differences (P < 0.001) correlated with the aggressiveness of the cancers. Of patients with KCC‐I, 1.7% succumbed to KCC; this included one patient reported to have died of KCC‐III (SCLC). Of 41 patients with KCC‐II, 11 (27%) died of KCC; this includes at least 3 deaths from KCC‐III. Cancer 55:1303‐1311, 1985.