A spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte cell line is disclosed. In a
preferred
embodiment, this cell line is ATCC 12191. In another embodiment of the invention,
a method of assaying the effect of a test tumor cell modulation agent is disclosed.
The method comprises the steps of obtaining a human stratified squamous epithelial
cell culture, wherein the culture comprises human malignant squamous epithelial
cells and spontaneously immortalized human keratinocytes, wherein the culture forms
a reconstituted epidermis. One then treats the epidermis with a test tumor cell
modulation agent and evaluates the growth of the malignant cells within the epidermis.
