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 3,400 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.
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Normal human fibroblast cell lines such as WI-38 (ATCC® CCL-75™) used as models for studying in vitro cellular senescence.
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The use of undifferentiated human and other animal cell lines is adding to knowledge in basic cell biology and pathophysiology.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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: Yvonne A. Reid, PhD, Howard University, 1986
Responsibility: Cell Biology/Collection Scientist
Special Interest: Dr. Reid’s dissertation focused on the isolation and characterization on monoclonal antibodies directed against epitopes expressed on human umbilical chord endothelial cells. Dr. Reid joined ATCC in 1980 and during the mid-1980s, her research focused on the use of DNA hypervariable probes for the intraspecies identification of cell lines. The evolution of this work has led to the implementation of routine screening of all human cell lines by STR analysis. Dr. Reid has more than 29 years of experience in cell biology, immunology and molecular biology. As Collection Scientist for the Cell Biology Program, she is responsible for overseeing the acquisition, authentication and characterization of over 3,400 accessioned animal cell lines and hybridomas in the Cell Biology General Collection. Dr. Reid has authored over 23 peer-reviewed publications (Cancer Research, American Journal of Human Genetics, Epidemiology) and has served on more than a dozen scientific committees, including as an ad hoc member of the Comparative Medicine Review committee, National Center for Research Resources (NIH); Chairperson, of ad hoc advisory member for the National Cell Culture Center, Minneapolis, MN; Member of the 2005-2010 USP Fetal Bovine Serum ad hoc Advisory Panel. In addition, Dr. Reid has served as the principal investigator on six government and nongovernment contracts. She has been invited to speak, convene and/or chair sessions at several cell biology conferences (including the Bioanalysis Thinkshop sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and IRMM, Geel, Belgium and Faculty member for a cell culture training course sponsored by UNESCO and held at the Sino-Danish Postgraduate Training Center, Beijing, China.
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