Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To establish an intradermal model with transplanting melanoma B16 cells in C57BL mice． MATERIALS AND METHODS: commercially-acquired 3×106 B16 cells in 0.1 ml were inoculated intradermally in the right hindlimb in C57BL mice．B16 cells from tumors were isolated, cultured and examined. RESULTS: Tumor formation time was found to be (9.6±1.2)d and tumor formation rate was 100％. Within 18 d, tumors was round or round-like shape with distinct borders. Commercially-acquired B16 cells were mostly spindle or irregular whilst B16 cells from tumors were round or round-like or short-spindle. HE staining showed that there were a large number of B16 cells in the transplanted tumors. CONCLUSION: Intradermal tumor model of B16 cells in C57BL mice is helpful to monitor tumor growth in early and middle stages and is one of ideal models in tumor studies.

Key words: C57BL mice, B16 melanoma cells, transplanted tumor models