The cells are negative for glial fibrillary acidic proteins and S100 (S-100) protein.

The cells are poorly differentiated.

The cells exhibit mutated p53 (TP53) and possible homozygous deletions in the p16 and p14ARF tumor suppressor genes.

The LN-18 cell line was established in 1976 from cells taken from a patient with a right temporal lobe glioma.

This cell line is used in studies on apoptosis.