SCC-9

The SCC-9 cell line is a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line originally isolated from tongue carcinoma. SCC-9 cells are commonly used as an in vitro model for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). These cells are derived from malignant epithelial cells of the oral cavity and have been utilized in numerous studies concerning tumor biology, tumor invasion, and response to treatment in head and neck cancers.

Cultured SCC-9 cells adhere to the growth surface, showing a polygonal, epithelial-like appearance and forming compact colonies characterized by strong cell-cell junctions. Similar to other epithelial-derived and squamous cell carcinoma cells, SCC-9 cells express epithelial markers such as cytokeratins (CK13, CK14), E-cadherin, involucrin, and p63. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may also be present but is known to be variable. Dysregulation of EGFR has been shown to play a role in head and neck cancers.

Because of this, SCC-9 cells have been used to study many aspects of oral cancer including proliferation, differentiation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These cells are frequently used to study head and neck cancer related signaling pathways such as EGFR, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and NF-κB and have been used to study mechanisms of tumor metastasis and chemoresistance/radiosensitivity. SCC-9 cells are also utilized for anticancer drug screening assays, radiosensitivity assays, and biomarker identification to aid in the development of targeted therapeutics for oral cancer and head and neck cancers.