Standards for Cell Line Authentication and Beyond

PLoS Biol. 2016 Jun 14;14(6):e1002476. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002476. eCollection 2016 Jun.

Abstract

Different genomic technologies have been applied to cell line authentication, but only one method (short tandem repeat [STR] profiling) has been the subject of a comprehensive and definitive standard (ASN-0002). Here we discuss the power of this document and why standards such as this are so critical for establishing the consensus technical criteria and practices that can enable progress in the fields of research that use cell lines. We also examine other methods that could be used for authentication and discuss how a combination of methods could be used in a holistic fashion to assess various critical aspects of the quality of cell lines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / methods
  • DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / standards
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods*
  • Gene Expression Profiling / standards
  • Genotyping Techniques / methods*
  • Genotyping Techniques / standards
  • Humans
  • Microsatellite Repeats / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Reference Standards
  • Reproducibility of Results

Grants and funding

This work was funded solely by the National Institute of Standards and Technology as part of its measurement-focused mission.