Know what you work with
Given the prevalence of cross-contamination and misidentification, the authenticity of cells in scientific research is a major concern. It is estimated that 15 to 36 % of cell lines are misidentified or contaminated1,2,3.
STR analysis determines the profile of a cell line and is crucial for reliable and repeatable research. A growing number of journals also demand cell line verification before accepting an article.
Our Service Includes
Cell line authentication
STR profiling of your sample for human, mouse, rat, dog and hamster cells.
Comparison with online databases
Your profile is compared with the Cellosaurus database.
Publication-ready report
A clear analysis report that you can use for publications and journal requirements.
Markers
How It Works
Easy to use
01
Order form
Download the order form, fill it in and print it.
02
Sample
Prepare your sample as genomic DNA or as a cell pellet.
03
Shipment
Send the sample with the printed form in a padded envelope at room temperature.
04
Results
You receive the results by e-mail within 2 weeks.
Sample Requirements
Genomic DNA
At least 50 µl of gDNA at 50 ng/µl, dissolved in Tris or EDTA (10 mM Tris, 0.1 mM EDTA).
Cell pellet
1.0 to 5.0 million cells as a cell pellet. Wash twice with PBS and resuspend in 0.5 ml of 70 to 90 % ethanol.
Results
Within 2 weeks
You receive the results by e-mail.
Database comparison
The results include the comparison of your data with the Cellosaurus database.
Clear classification
Your cell line is classified as authenticated or misidentified.
About STR Analysis
Short tandem repeats
A short tandem repeat is a DNA motif of 2 to 13 bases that is repeated up to several hundred times. The number of repeats varies between individuals, which leads to different fragment lengths in PCR. Cell lines are profiled by these differences at several loci.
Detection of cell line mixtures
Contamination of one cell line by one or more additional cell lines can be detected down to a 10 % frequency of the contaminating cell line. Mixtures typically show STR profiles with three or more peaks at one or several loci.
Request a consultation
Tell us about your project
A few details are enough for the first step. Our scientific team reviews your request and gets back to you.
YOUR CONTACT
Jannes Steinmann
Head of Cell Biology
SOURCES
- Lorsch JR, Collins FS, Lippincott-Schwartz J. Fixing problems with cell lines. Science. 2014;346(6216):1452–1453. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5101941
- Hughes P, Marshall D, Reid Y, Parkes H, Gelber C. The costs of using unauthenticated, over-passaged cell lines: how much more data do we need? BioTechniques. 2007;43(5):575–586. doi:10.2144/000112598
- Freedman LP, Gibson MC, Wisman R, Ethier SP, Soule HR, Reid YA, Neve RM. The culture of cell culture practices and authentication: results from a 2015 survey. BioTechniques. 2015;59(4):189–192. doi:10.2144/000114344