NCI-H1048

NCI-H1048 is a human small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cell line derived from a lung tumor in an adult patient and is widely used as a model of neuroendocrine lung cancer. Small cell lung carcinoma is characterized by rapid growth, early metastatic spread, and strong association with neuroendocrine differentiation, and NCI-H1048 reflects many of these features. The cells typically grow in suspension or as loosely adherent clusters and display morphology consistent with SCLC, including small, round cells with high nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios.

At the molecular level, NCI-H1048 exhibits features characteristic of SCLC, including alterations in key tumor suppressor pathways such as TP53 and RB1, which are commonly inactivated in this disease. The cell line expresses neuroendocrine markers, including proteins associated with hormone secretion and neuronal differentiation, making it a relevant model for studying neuroendocrine signaling and tumor biology. Like other SCLC models, it may also display amplification or overexpression of oncogenic drivers involved in proliferation and survival, contributing to its aggressive phenotype.

NCI-H1048 is used in research focused on small cell lung cancer pathogenesis, drug sensitivity, and resistance mechanisms. It is particularly valuable for evaluating chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies in a disease context known for initial treatment responsiveness followed by rapid relapse. The cell line is also used in studies of tumor cell plasticity, neuroendocrine differentiation, and high-throughput drug screening. However, as with many SCLC models, detailed mutation-specific profiles may vary between datasets, and additional molecular characterization is recommended for experiments requiring precise genomic information.

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.

Medium

HITES medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum: The base medium for this cell line is DMEM:F12 Medium (Catalog No. 820400a). To make the complete growth medium, add the following components to the base medium:

• 0.005 mg/ml Insulin
• 0.01 mg/ml Transferrin
• 30 nM Sodium selenite (final conc.)
• 10 nM Hydrocortisone (final conc.)
• 10 nM beta-estradiol (final conc.)
• extra 2 mM L-glutamine (for final conc. of 4.5 mM)
• 5% fetal bovine serum (final conc.)

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.