Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cell Lines

Cell Lines

A cell line is a population of cells grown in vitro that can be subcultured over several generations. Normal cells cease to divide after a certain number of cell divisions, a process known as replicative senescence. This number, called the Hayflick limit, was conceptualized by Leonard Hayflick in 1961 when he observed that fetal cells grown in culture could only divide 40-60 times. This limit is due to the shortening of the telomeres during each round of cell division, preventing cell division...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Hygiene and virucidal interventions in Ebola virus (Bundibugyo virus) and hantavirus (Andes virus) infection control: Translating laboratory evidence into practice.

American journal of infection control·2026

Same author

Dynamics of respiratory virus spread indoors suggest a holistic approach for exposure risk mitigation.

Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE·2025

Same author

Persistence of Infectivity of Different Enteroviruses on a Surrogate Fomite: Correlation with Clinical Case Incidence.

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

Virucidal Approaches for Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses.

Viruses·2025

Same author

Rapid virucidal activity of an air sanitizer against aerosolized MS2 and Phi6 phage surrogates for non-enveloped and enveloped vertebrate viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2024

Same author

Efficacy of Virucidal Treatments against Poliovirus Type 1 Deposited on Stainless-Steel Carriers.

Microorganisms·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Cell Culture Techniques and Practices to Avoid Contamination by Fungi and Bacteria in the Research Cell Culture Laboratory

Cell Culture Techniques and Practices to Avoid Contamination by Fungi and Bacteria in the Research Cell Culture Laboratory

Published on: July 7, 2023

Best practices for authenticating cell lines.

Raymond W Nims¹, Yvonne Reid²

¹RMC Pharmaceutical Solutions, Inc., 1851 Lefthand Circle, Suite A, Longmont, CO, 80501, USA. rnims@rmcpharma.com.

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Animal

|December 3, 2017

Summary

Maintaining cell line authenticity is crucial for valid experimental results. This involves routinely monitoring identity, purity, ploidy, and phenotype to ensure reliable biological models.

Keywords:

Cell line identity Morphology Phenotype Ploidy Purity STR profile

More Related Videos

Quantitative Immunoblotting of Cell Lines as a Standard to Validate Immunofluorescence for Quantifying Biomarker Proteins in Routine Tissue Samples

Quantitative Immunoblotting of Cell Lines as a Standard to Validate Immunofluorescence for Quantifying Biomarker Proteins in Routine Tissue Samples

Published on: January 7, 2019

A High-throughput Automated Platform for the Development of Manufacturing Cell Lines for Protein Therapeutics

A High-throughput Automated Platform for the Development of Manufacturing Cell Lines for Protein Therapeutics

Published on: September 22, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Cell Culture Techniques and Practices to Avoid Contamination by Fungi and Bacteria in the Research Cell Culture Laboratory

Cell Culture Techniques and Practices to Avoid Contamination by Fungi and Bacteria in the Research Cell Culture Laboratory

Published on: July 7, 2023

Quantitative Immunoblotting of Cell Lines as a Standard to Validate Immunofluorescence for Quantifying Biomarker Proteins in Routine Tissue Samples

Quantitative Immunoblotting of Cell Lines as a Standard to Validate Immunofluorescence for Quantifying Biomarker Proteins in Routine Tissue Samples

Published on: January 7, 2019

A High-throughput Automated Platform for the Development of Manufacturing Cell Lines for Protein Therapeutics

A High-throughput Automated Platform for the Development of Manufacturing Cell Lines for Protein Therapeutics

Published on: September 22, 2011

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biotechnology
Scientific Methodology

Background:

Cell cultures serve as vital model systems in biological research.
The validity of experimental findings hinges on the authenticity of the cell line used.
Authenticity ensures the cell line accurately represents the biological system under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To outline best practices for establishing and maintaining cell line authenticity.
To emphasize the importance of cell line characterization for research reproducibility.
To guide researchers in ensuring their cell models are appropriate and reliable.

Main Methods:

Routine microscopic examination of cell morphology.
Determination of phenotypic status.
Specialized assays to confirm cell identity, ploidy, and absence of cross-contamination.

Main Results:

Morphological and phenotypic assessments offer initial insights into cell line authenticity.
Specialized assays are necessary for comprehensive confirmation of identity, ploidy, and purity.
Consistent monitoring is key to maintaining cell line integrity over time.

Conclusions:

Cell line authenticity, encompassing identity, purity, ploidy, and phenotype, is paramount for experimental validity.
A combination of routine monitoring and specific assays ensures reliable cell models.
Adherence to best practices in cell line characterization enhances the reproducibility of scientific research.