> Range of assays > Identity: Cell line authentication
The risks of cross-contamination in the laboratory are high. Mislabeling can happen too. In fact, The International Cell Line Authentication Committee (ICLAC) estimates that as much as 1/5 to 1/3 of known cell lines are wrongly identified to date (2021 data).
There is no obvious visual evidence that will flag this issue up to you without testing for identity. Most of the time, scientists are misled because their cell line behaves the way they would expect. Still, this does not mean that the cell line identity has not changed during the culture process.
This will cause serious issues down the line, compromising the robustness of published results and the credibility of the field overall. It is also ethically fundamental to ensure the consented agreement from the initial donor of the line on which you are basing your research work.
Fortunately, awareness of this issue is rising in the field of stem cell research. An increasing number of journals are now asking for the test to be performed before publishing papers. It also helps in preparing the ground for future clinical trials that will require stringent quality controls from the proof of concept to the actual production material. Finally, a proper cell line authentication using STR will also help you meet the requirements for grants and funding applications.
The latest ISSCR guidelines published in June 2023 (Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research), encourage the use of STR tests at regular intervals on your production workflow.
The ISSCR encourages checking your cell line identity at least quarterly if not monthly for cells that undergo significant manipulations such as gene editing, clonal isolation, etc. It is also recommended when the Master Cell Bank is established, at the end of studies and before publication.
Click on the graph below for more details.
Get your cell lines properly authenticated with the STR-solution from Stem Genomics. Simply send your sample* in the post and you will get fast results within 3 business days.
*analysis available from 1 sample
Any human cell type
gDNA
Cells in dry pellet form
Room temperature
Frozen cell pellets sent on dry ice
5-Dye
16-Locus analysis
3 days after sample reception
Available as a service only
from one sample:
While we are verifying your cell line identity, why not also check for potential genomic abnormalities at the same time? We have fast and high-performing digital PCR tests that will enable you to perform these tests simultaneously from the same sample.
Our experts specialized in stem cell characterization are here to help and recommend the procedure best adapted to your specific workflow.
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