4T1

The 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma cell line is a widely used model in cancer research due to its high similarity to human breast cancer. Derived from a BALB/c mouse, the tumor growth and metastatic spread of the 4T1 cell line closely mimic the behavior of late stage breast cancer in humans. The 4T1 cell line serves as an invaluable tool for studying the progression and metastasis of mammary cancer, including bone metastases and breast cancer metastasis. When injected into BALB/c mice, 4T1 cells spontaneously produce highly metastatic tumors that can spread to various organs such as the lung, liver, lymph nodes, and bone, while the primary tumor continues to grow in situ. This 4T1 syngeneic model is particularly useful for studies of bone metastases and the metastatic phenotype.

The 4T1 cell's utility extends to techniques like bioluminescence imaging, histological analyses, and the use of molecular markers to track the spread and impact of metastatic disease. This approach allows for the examination of spontaneous metastasis from primary tumors to distant organs, aided by techniques like flow cytometry to analyze tumor cells and their receptor expressions. The imagable 4T1 model has enabled biophotonic imaging to track tumor growth and metastasis in vivo in animal models, facilitating studies on metastatic cells in target organs and tumor foci.

The immunocompetent nature of the mouse 4T1 breast tumor cell line allows for investigations into the role of the immune system and immunity in metastasis, as well as immunotherapy of cancer. Moreover, the 4T1 syngeneic tumor model has been instrumental in omics characterization and fusion gene detection.

Overall, the 4T1 mammary carcinoma cell line serves as a versatile tool for studying mammary tumor biology, tumor metastasis, and the development of new treatments in both murine and human contexts.

37°C, 5% CO₂, humidified atmosphere.

1. Confirm that the vial remains deeply frozen upon delivery, as cells are shipped on dry ice to maintain optimal temperatures during transit.

2. Upon receipt, either store the cryovial immediately at temperatures below -150°C to ensure the preservation of cellular integrity, or proceed to step 3 if immediate culturing is required.

3. For immediate culturing, swiftly thaw the vial by immersing it in a 37°C water bath with clean water and an antimicrobial agent, agitating gently for 40-60 seconds until a small ice clump remains.

4. Perform all subsequent steps under sterile conditions in a flow hood, disinfecting the cryovial with 70% ethanol before opening.

5. Carefully open the disinfected vial and transfer the cell suspension into a 15 ml centrifuge tube containing 8 ml of room-temperature culture medium, mixing gently.

6. Centrifuge the mixture at 300 x g for 3 minutes to separate the cells and carefully discard the supernatant containing residual freezing medium.

7. Gently resuspend the cell pellet in 10 ml of fresh culture medium. For adherent cells, divide the suspension between two T25 culture flasks; for suspension cultures, transfer all the medium into one T25 flask to promote effective cell interaction and growth.

8. Adhere to established subculture protocols for continued growth and maintenance of the cell line, ensuring reliable experimental outcomes.

Mycoplasma contamination is excluded using both PCR-based assays and luminescence-based mycoplasma detection methods.

To ensure there is no bacterial, fungal, or yeast contamination, cell cultures are subjected to daily visual inspections.

For long-term preservation, place vials in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen at about −150 to −196 °C. Storage at −80 °C is acceptable only as a short interim step before transfer to liquid nitrogen.

Cryopreserved cell lines are shipped on dry ice in validated, insulated packaging with sufficient refrigerant to maintain approximately −78 °C throughout transit. On receipt, inspect the container immediately and transfer vials without delay to appropriate storage.

At Cytion, we stand behind the quality and viability of our products. We guarantee that our cells will be viable at the start of culture for 60 days after shipment from our facilities. We assure that all materials conform to the specifications described in the Certificate of Analysis and/or Product Sheet.

For full details, please refer to our Warranty Statement.