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MCF-7
Tissue
Breast
Disease
Adenocarcinoma
Metastatic site
Pleural effusion
Synonyms
MCF 7, MCF.7, MCF7, Michigan Cancer Foundation-7, ssMCF-7, ssMCF7, MCF7/WT, MCF7-CTRL, IBMF-7

Documents

MCF-7

Cell line · Product number 300273

MCF7 cells, a widely used research model in human breast cancer research, are utilized extensively as an in vitro model for hormone-dependent breast cance...

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01General information

Description

MCF7 cells, a widely used research model in human breast cancer research, are utilized extensively as an in vitro model for hormone-dependent breast cancer. Originating from the breast tissue of a 69-year-old white female with metastatic adenocarcinoma, MCF7 cells are a widely used in vitro model for hormone-dependent breast cancer, reflecting the Luminal A subtype. This subtype is characterized by a lower grade and better prognosis compared to more aggressive forms of breast cancer.

In the realm of breast cancer research, MCF 7 cells are instrumental in evaluating the efficacy of breast cancer drugs and understanding the dynamics of breast cancer stem cells. They are central to cancer research, serving as a comparative model against more aggressive cell lines like MDA-MB-231.

The investigation of therapeutic agents, such as tamoxifen and doxorubicin, is critical in drug discovery efforts targeting hormone-dependent breast cancers and gaining insights into the mechanisms of action and resistance. Similarly, the role of estradiol in modulating the growth and characteristics of these cells is a subject of significant interest, given its relevance to hormone-responsive breast cancers.

Research employing the MCF7 breast cancer cell line often delves into the cellular processes of cytotoxicity and apoptosis, especially in response to cancer agents like curcumin, known for its potential in cancer prevention. The study of immune responses, including the action of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and the impact of bacterial antigens, further enriches our understanding of the tumor microenvironment and potential therapeutic targets.

MCF7 cells are meticulously studied in both 2D cell culture and 3D cell culture systems, including spheroid culture, to mimic tumor microenvironments more closely. These methodologies enable a more profound exploration of cell spheroid growth and the behavior of cancer stem cells within microtissues in scaffold-based systems.

The MCF7 cell line, with its epithelial cell characteristics and resemblance to human adenocarcinoma cells, is a cornerstone of cancer research. It facilitates not only the exploration of breast cancer drugs and their mechanisms but also the broader implications for cancer treatment, including the potential role of mesenchymal stem cells and the efficacy of targeted therapies in vivo studies.

Tissue
Breast
Disease
Adenocarcinoma
Metastatic site
Pleural effusion
Synonyms
  • MCF 7
  • MCF.7
  • MCF7
  • Michigan Cancer Foundation-7
  • ssMCF-7
  • ssMCF7
  • MCF7/WT
  • MCF7-CTRL
  • IBMF-7

02Classification

Organism
Human
Sex
Female
Growth properties
Adherent
Biosafety level
1

03Characteristics

Morphology
Epithelial-like
Tumourigenic
Yes, in nude mice
Karyotype
The stemline chromosome numbers ranged from hypertriploidy to hypotetraploidy, with the 2S component occurring at 1%. There were 29 to 34 marker chromosomes per S metaphase, 24 to 28 markers occurred in at least 30% of cells, and generally one large submetacentric (M1) and 3 large subtelocentric (M2, M3, and M4) markers were recognizable in over 80% of metaphases. No DM were detected. Chromosome 20 was nullisomic and x was disomic. Phenotype Frequency Product: 0.0154
Doubling time
24 hours

04Identifiers

Citation
MCF-7 (Cytion catalog number 300273)
NCBI TaxID
9606
Cellosaurus
CVCL_0031

05Expression and susceptibility

Receptors expressed
The cells express the wildtype and variant estrogen receptors as well as progesterone receptor.
Protein expression
P53 negative, pGP9.5 negative, CEA positive
Isoenzymes
PGM3, 1, PGM1, 1-2, ES-D, 1-2, AK-1, 1, GLO-1, 1-2, G6PD, B,
Oncogenes
Wnt7h +, Tx-4
Mutational profile
TP53 wt
Products
Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) BP-2, BP-4, BP-5

06Handling and culture

Culture medium
EMEM (MEM Eagle), w: 2 mM L-Glutamine, w: 2.2 g/L NaHCO3, w: EBSS (Cytion article number 820100a)
Incubation atmosphere

37°C, 5% CO2, humidified atmosphere.

Supplements
Supplement the medium with 10% FBS and 1% NEAA
Dissociation reagent
Accutase
Subculturing
Remove the old medium from the adherent cells and wash them with PBS that lacks calcium and magnesium. For T25 flasks, use 3-5 ml of PBS, and for T75 flasks, use 5-10 ml. Then, cover the cells completely with Accutase, using 1-2 ml for T25 flasks and 2.5 ml for T75 flasks. Let the cells incubate at room temperature for 8-10 minutes to detach them. After incubation, gently mix the cells with 10 ml of medium to resuspend them, then centrifuge at 300xg for 3 minutes. Discard the supernatant, resuspend the cells in fresh medium, and transfer them into new flasks that already contain fresh medium.
Seeding density
3 x 104 cells/cm2
Fluid renewal
2 to 3 times per week
Post-thaw recovery
Allow the cells to rest for 48 hours past thawing
Thawing and culturing
  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.

07Quality control and cryopreservation

Sterility

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.

Freeze medium
As a cryopreservation medium, we use complete growth medium (including FBS) + 10% DMSO for adequate post-thaw viability, or CM-1 (Cytion catalog number 800100), which includes optimized osmoprotectants and metabolic stabilizers to enhance recovery and reduce cryo-induced stress.
Storage conditions

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.

Shipping conditions

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.

08Donor

Donor age
69 years
Ethnicity
Caucasian