Cell Authentication Matters

"Evidence suggests that up to one-third of tumor cell lines being used in scientific research are affected by inter- or intraspecies cross-contamination or have been wrongly identified, thereby rendering many of the conclusions doubtful if not completely invalid.”
—Lancet Oncology, vol. 2, July 2001, p. 393.

• Many journals are making cell line authentication a pre-requisite for publication and funding agencies are considering cell line authentication in their funding decisions.
  View list of journals that currently require or strongly encourage cell line authentication prior to publication.
• Misidentified cell lines leads to invalidation of published results and lost time, money and effort
• Using authenticated cell lines from ATCC, will help you achieve success in your research

Cell lines from ATCC have been thoroughly tested and authenticated, so you can be certain of their identity. If, however, your cells come from a less than reliable source or if they’ve been sharing an incubator with other cell lines for a while, it may be time to perform an identity check.

ATCC uses morphology, karyotyping, and PCR based approaches to confirm the identity of human cell lines and to rule out both intra- and interspecies contamination. These include an assay to detect species specific variants of the cytochrome C oxidase I gene (COI analysis) to rule out inter-species contamination and short tandem repeat (STR) profiling to distinguish between individual human cell lines and rule out intra-species contamination.

View our resources listed below for more information about why cell line authentication matters.

Experimental success corresponds directly to the quality and conditions of the cell lines used. Cells that are kept too long in culture and are not periodically tested for genotypic or phenotypic stability may no longer be reliable models of the original source material.

To maintain high cell culture standards and ensure reliable, reproducible results, the use of authenticated and quality-tested cell lines from a recognized cell bank is highly recommended.

ATCC authenticates cell lines routinely with the following tests:

• Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Profiling
• Cellular Morphology
• Karyotyping
• Cytochrome C Oxidase I (COI) Assay Testing

For over 30 years, ATCC has been the leader in utilizing STR technology and human STR data interpretation. We have an easy 3-step process for STR analysis.

Short-tandem repeat profiling of cell lines is an easy-to-use way to authenticate/confirm the identity of your cells. STR profiling aids in the detection of misidentified, cross-contaminated, or genetically drifted cells, which invalidate research results. Our STR analysis meets all requirements for funding, publication, and quality control. On this page, order the human STR profiling service, learn how to submit your STR samples, or search our online STR database with the below buttons! Also, be sure to check out ATCC's new Mouse STR Profiling Service.

• ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certified process for STR authentication
• STR report that meets requirements for funding, publication, & quality control
• Results emailed to you within 3-5 business days