RTE-2

RTE-2 is a rat tracheal epithelial cell line originally derived from normal tracheal epithelium and subsequently immortalized to enable continuous in vitro propagation. The cells exhibit epithelial morphology characterized by polygonal, cobblestone-like growth patterns when cultured to confluence. RTE-2 cells retain key structural and functional properties of airway epithelial cells, including the formation of tight intercellular junctions and expression of epithelial cytokeratins, making them a relevant model for respiratory epithelial biology.

Functionally, RTE-2 cells have been widely used to investigate mechanisms of airway epithelial differentiation, mucosal barrier integrity, and responses to environmental stimuli. They demonstrate the capacity to polarize under appropriate culture conditions and can express junctional proteins associated with epithelial barrier formation. In addition, RTE-2 cells respond to inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress, providing a controlled in vitro platform to study signaling pathways involved in airway inflammation and epithelial injury.

Due to their stable growth characteristics and preserved epithelial phenotype, RTE-2 cells are frequently employed in studies of respiratory toxicology, host-pathogen interactions, and airway remodeling. As a rodent-derived airway epithelial model, RTE-2 offers a reproducible system for mechanistic investigations that complement in vivo pulmonary research.

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.