Effective Strategies for Cell Line Storage and Management

Given the importance of cell banks to the diagnostic, research and pharmaceutical industries, it’s essential to implement best practices to safeguard your materials against introducing variability and contamination.

Here are three effective strategies for cell line storage and management that reputable cell bank facilities utilize.

Cell-Line Authentication

To ensure that the material matches the expected cell line, perform a preliminary Short Tandem Repeat (STR) test. Once the genetic fingerprint of the material is verified, use a two step bank test to authenticate the cell line over time.

First, conduct a master cell bank (MCB) test. In this stage, you will determine bloodborne pathogen presence, pluripotency, viral clearance, and other relevant results. After that, you will perform a working cell bank (WCB) test to compare against your MCB. Performing these steps validate the identity and sterility of the cell line.

Set Anti-Contamination Protocols

Protect your cell cultures from contamination by disinfecting surfaces with 70% ethanol. Non-sterile consumables should likewise be autoclaved, and tubes and plates should be bleached after use. Moreover, antibiotics like penicillin can be added to mammalian cell cultures to manage bacterial contaminations. Finally, to prevent total loss in case of wide-scale contamination, make sure that you have a MCB stored off-site.

Ensure Correct Cell Line Labeling

Prevent cell line misidentification by properly labeling each tube. The labels should contain the cell line name, handle date, passage number, and user initials. Furthermore, the labeling material should have resistance to the controlled environments the cell lines are stored in.

Final Thoughts

From cell-line authentication to accurate labeling, you can count on Cell Culture Company’s trained team of experts to provide the Cell Banking you need. For more information, contact us today or call our knowledgeable staff (763-786-0302).