HLE

The HLE cell line is derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is known for its use in studying aggressive and poorly differentiated liver cancer. HLE cells exhibit traits of invasiveness and chemoresistance, which make them a significant model for examining mechanisms underpinning cancer progression and response to treatments. A notable feature of the HLE cell line is its association with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is marked by changes such as decreased expression of epithelial markers like E-cadherin and increased expression of mesenchymal markers like vimentin, contributing to the cell's enhanced motility and invasive potential.

Research has also shown that HLE cells are predominantly CD133-negative with low aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, a profile linked to their heightened chemoresistance compared to CD133-positive subpopulations. This chemoresistance extends to drugs like cisplatin and sorafenib, making HLE cells valuable for exploring drug resistance mechanisms. Additionally, the involvement of EMT is accompanied by increased expression of transcription factors like Snail, which suppresses E-cadherin, facilitating cancer progression. These attributes underline the importance of HLE cells in developing and testing potential therapeutic strategies targeting EMT and related pathways in aggressive HCC.

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.