The development of transformed human airway epithelial cell lines has been important in advancing the understanding of the biochemical and genetic mechanisms underlying the cystic fibrosis (CF) defect. Since the most common mutation associated with CF is a phenylalanine deletion at position 508 (delta F508) in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, a transformed airway epithelial cell line homozygous for this mutation will be important for determining the biologic significance of this mutation in the airways. We report the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of a delta F508 homozygote cell line derived from luminal epithelium in the trachea. The cells were transformed with a plasmid containing an origin of replication defective SV40 genome and have progressed through crisis. Immunocytochemical characterization of the cells shows that they express keratin, indicating epithelial cell origin, and that a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule, cellCAM 120/80, is present at plasma membrane junctions between cells. Electrophysiologically, the cells show no cAMP-dependent Cl transport. However, after treatment with the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, cells secrete Cl, albeit at a lower level than that observed in normal cells. Genetically, the cells express CFTR mRNA as determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification and CFTR protein as determined by Western hybridization analysis. Karyotypic analysis shows that 70% of the cells contain two copies of chromosome 7.