Culture and transformation of embryonic quail duodenal epithelial cells

Primary cell cultures derived from 14-day-old embryonic quail intestine were transformed with Rous sarcoma virus. An intestinal epithelial cell line was established and grown for 4 mo, and survived 8 passages. Mock infected control cells died after 3 wk of culture. Our data represent the first reported successful transformation of avian intestinal epithelial cells.