Several cell lines (18) of poorly differentiated rat ascites hepatomas which grown intraperitoneally were analyzed with respect to their mRNA levels of GST-P and albumin. The expression of albumin was dramatically decreased and became undetectable in all of the examined hepatomas compared with normal rat liver. The GST-P mRNA level in the hepatomas was correlated with their ability for formation of cellular islands in ascites. The island types, expressed GST-P at high level and the free type ones showed very low level of GST-P mRNA.
