Guarding the integrity of cell-based research: the role of the ICLAC Register of Misidentified Cell Lines

Cell line misidentification and cross-contamination remain persistent challenges in biomedical research, undermining experimental validity and contributing to irreproducible findings. Despite increased awareness and the availability of authentication technologies such as short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, problematic cell lines continue to appear in publications and commercial repositories. The International Cell Line Authentication Committee (ICLAC) maintains the Register of Misidentified Cell Lines, a curated and openly accessible resource designed to help researchers, reviewers, and funders identify cell lines that do not represent their claimed origin. The recently released Version 14 of the register expands and updates this resource with new entries and revised information. Greater awareness and consistent consultation of this resource, together with routine authentication practices, can significantly improve the reliability and reproducibility of cell-based biomedical research. Investigators are encouraged to check the ICLAC Register before acquiring or using established cell lines, authenticate cultures at defined checkpoints, including upon receipt, during master-stock generation, after extended passaging, and before publication, and report authentication evidence transparently.