NCI-H211

NCI-H211 is a human lung carcinoma cell line classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It was derived from an adult patient and is part of the panel of thoracic malignancy models developed through the NCI-Navy Medical Oncology Branch. The cell line demonstrates epithelial morphology and adherent growth behavior in vitro, making it suitable for monolayer culture systems. It is typically maintained in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and incubated under standard conditions (37°C, 5% CO₂).

On a molecular level, NCI-H211 harbors mutations consistent with NSCLC pathogenesis. Specifically, it possesses an activating KRAS mutation, a hallmark of a subset of lung adenocarcinomas that drives oncogenic signaling through the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. This mutation contributes to the cell line's resistance to certain targeted therapies, particularly EGFR inhibitors, while simultaneously rendering it a useful model for studying KRAS-directed therapeutic strategies. Protein-level profiling studies, such as those using reverse-phase protein arrays (RPPA), have identified NCI-H211 among the KRAS-mutant lung cancer models with specific signaling dependencies, aiding in the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

NCI-H211 has been featured in large-scale proteomic and pharmacologic screens and has been used to evaluate drug sensitivities and protein expression patterns. These features make it an effective model for translational research focused on developing treatment approaches for KRAS-driven NSCLC and investigating resistance mechanisms associated with targeted and cytotoxic agents.

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.