Using Cell Lines
Cell lines are different from primary cells. Whereas primary cells are directly explanted from the fresh organ or tissue and used almost immediately, cell lines are derived in two ways:
- They can be derived from fresh primary organs and tissues, but are continuously cultured until a stable lineage (cell line) is obtained. At this point, the cells have usually undergone a transformation that can be detected by chromosome analysis etc and can theoretically proliferate indefinitely.
- Cell lines can be obtained from cancers and tumors present in animals or humans. These too are transformed cells since the cancer or tumor has arisen due to a transformation in the organ or tissue resulting from an agent such as a chemical, drug or specific type of radiation.
Although developed for primary explanted cells, LumiSTEM™ can easily be used for virtually any cell line available, whether it involves looking at:
- Growth kinetics,
- Transformation processes,
- The ability to grow under different conditions, such as genetic manipulation,
- Toxicity etc.
As with primary cells, cell lines grow either under adherent or non-adherent conditions and LumiSTEM™ accommodates this by providing kits with 96- or 384-well adherent or non-adherent plates.
