Cell Biology

Overview/History

The Cell Biology Collection was established in 1962 in response to an urgent need for authenticated and contamination-free animal cell lines in various areas of biological and medical research. The collection was created through the cooperative efforts of ATCC, a scientific advisory committee, and the Cell Culture Collection Committee (C4), which was sponsored initially by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

For over four decades, the ATCC Cell Biology Program has served the life science research community by supplying well characterized cell lines for use in cancer research, drug discovery and other biomedical disciplines. Today, this collection is the most comprehensive and diverse of its kind in the world. It consists of over 3,600 authenticated and characterized animal cell lines and hybridomas. These cell lines represent over 150 species, genetically engineered cell lines and human skin fibroblast cell lines derived both from normal individuals and from patients with various diseases.

An array of basic research findings has resulted from the widespread use of cell lines available from ATCC.

  • Normal human fibroblast cell lines such as WI-38 (ATCC® CCL-75™) used as models for studying in vitro cellular senescence.
  • The use of undifferentiated human and other animal cell lines is adding to knowledge in basic cell biology and pathophysiology.
  • Studies on cell lines from the endocrine and exocrine systems are providing information on hormone production/secretion mechanisms and prominent diseases such as pancreatitis and diabetes.
  • The discovery and identification of specific growth factors, oncogenes and proto-oncogenes, have paved the way to understanding their roles in cellular signaling.
Acquisition
 

ATCC is actively seeking cell lines and technologies to create new in vitro models (2- or 3-dimensional) to study the biology, development and pathophysiology of human diseases.

Authentication
 

The ATCC Cell Biology program employs state-of-the-art technology platforms for the authentication of cells lines by applying the growth curve to determine optimal growth conditions and the seed stock scheme when expanding cell lines to minimize passaging. Routine Cell Biology Program authentication testing includes the following:

  1. Certification that each cell line is negative for mycoplasma, bacteria, fungi contamination
  2. Confirmation of species identity and detection of possible cellular contamination or misidentification using COI for interspecies identification and STR analysis (DNA profiling) for intraspecies identification
  3. Conducting of additional test methods, such as cytogenetic analysis (G-banding, FISH), flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry as well as consistent refinement of cell growth conditions as well as documentation systems, ensuring traceability.

 

Research & Development

Research in the ATCC Cell Biology Program has focused on identifying markers for intraspecific and interspecfic identification of animal cell lines. Consequently, a program for DNA profiling of human cell lines using STR analysis was initiated. This program is now part of the authentication practice of human cell lines.

Grants and Contracts

The ATCC Cell Biology program has been awarded several contracts from government agencies and foundations.

  • National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), “Procurement of Transformed Lymphocytes, Lymphoblastoid lines and DNA for Genetic Linkage Studies.” (Principal Investigator, Dr. Y. Reid). Since 1986, she has collaborated with NCI in developing and optimizing collection procedures for biospecimens from which DNA and RNA are extracted. The biospecimens include: whole blood, lymphoblastoid cell lines, buffy coats, buccal cells, blood clots, etc. Some of these protocols are used worldwide in the collection of biospecimens for large epidemiological studies.
  • Another contract, sponsored by the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF), has the ATCC Cell Biology Program operating a Mantle Cell Lymphoma cell bank.

Products

Products offered by the Cell Biology Program include: Animal cell lines and hybridomas; DNA, RNA and cell pellets; media, and sera.

Cell Biology Staff
 
Name: Fang Tian, Ph.D.
Responsibility: Cell Biology/Collection Scientist
Special Interest: Dr. Tian has extensive experience in cell biology and molecular biology. As Collection Scientist and Group Leader of the Cell Biology Program, Dr. Tian is responsible for overseeing the preparation, authentication, characterization, quality control and cryopreservation of over 3,400 accessioned animal cell lines and hybridomas in the Cell Biology General Collection. Her R&D team has been accessing and developing scientific high-value cell lines from various normal and tumor tissues obtained from human, mouse and other species. Dr. Tian has a strong interest in developing cell lines and cells line panels focusing on molecular pathology, cell signaling pathway and genetic alternation. Her previous research field covers tyrosine kinase receptors, programmed cell death, neovascularization, ER stress and unfolded protein response, bone marrow stem cell and progenitor cell differentiation, as well as anti-cancer drug screening. Dr. Tian was research fellow in Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard medical school, where she focus on the molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death and the manipulation of gene expression to lead to new therapeutics for cancer treatment. She conducted postdoctoral research at the Hillman cancer institute of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, and has been internationally recognized as an expert in the field of Vascular Endothelial Growth Inhibitor (VEGI/TNFSF15). She earned her Ph.D. from prestigious Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China. Dr. Tian has authored a number of original articles in notable international peer-reviewed publications, and she currently serves as an ad hoc reviewer for Cancer Research, and The Journal of Biological Chemistry.