Caco-2

Caco-2 is a human epithelial tumor cell line derived from a primary colorectal adenocarcinoma of a 72-year-old Caucasian male patient. Originating from the colon, Caco-2 cells grow as an adherent monolayer with cobblestone-like morphology and differentiate into enterocyte-like cells when cultured to confluence. They develop tight junctions and apical microvilli, forming a brush border like intestinal epithelium. The cells express retinoic acid binding protein I, retinol binding protein II, and keratin, showing increased alkaline phosphatase activity during differentiation. Although derived from cancer tissue, Caco-2 cells show low tumorigenicity and are considered non-tumorigenic in immunodeficient mice. Free of major viral contaminants, they are classified as BSL-1. Caco-2 cells are ideal for studying drug absorption, nutrient transport, and intestinal permeability due to their ability to form high-resistance polarized monolayers.