MH7A

MH7A is a human synovial fibroblast cell line immortalized by stable SV40 large T antigen expression, established from synovial tissue of a female Japanese patient. MH7A grows as an adherent culture with fibroblast-like morphology and retains key functional characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs), including responsiveness to pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and the ability to invade cartilage matrix. It is one of the most widely used in vitro models for studying synoviocyte biology and RA pathogenesis.

MH7A is applicable in rheumatoid arthritis research, synoviocyte activation, MMP and TIMP regulation, cytokine signalling (NF-κB, JAK-STAT, MAPK), anti-rheumatic drug evaluation (DMARDs, biologics, JAK inhibitors), and co-culture models of joint destruction. The line provides a consistent, reproducible RA synoviocyte model that circumvents the variability and limited availability of primary patient-derived RASFs.

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.

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.