Abstract
One occurrence that every person who tries to grow mammalian cells in vitro has to deal with sooner or later is contamination. As a problem, it can vary from irritating to catastrophic. The best solution? Avoid getting contamination in the first place. Failing this, the next best thing is to destroy all the contaminated cultures. However, since neither solution is likely to work all of the time, in this chapter we shall discuss how to recognize contaminated cultures and what to do about them when you do get contamination. One approach to contamination you cannot do is ignore it. Contamination in a cell culture will influence virtually any parameter you might wish to study, even if it does not immediately kill the cells. Do not ever use contaminated cultures to get numbers (we will not call it data) on the grounds that “they are just a little contaminated” or “the cells are still alive.” Any numbers you get will be misleading rather than helpful, and a waste of time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Hukku, B., Halton, D., Mally, M., and Peterson, W., 1984, Cell characterization by use of multiple genetic markers, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 172:23–29.
Kotani, H., Phillips, D. M., and McGarrity, G. J., 1987, Malignant transformation of NIH-3T3 and CV-1 cells by a helical mycoplasma, Spiroplasma mirum strain SMCA in vitro, Cell Dev. Biol. 22:756–762.
Kruk, P. A., and Auersperg, N., 1991, Percoll centrifugation eliminates mold contamination from cell cultures, In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol. 27A:273–276.
Lubiniecki, A., 1990, Continuous cell substrate considerations, in: Large-Scale Mammalian Cell Culture Technology (A. Lubiniecki, ed.), Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 495–513.
McGarrity, G. (ed.), 1977, Mycoplasma Infections of Cell Cultures, Plenum Press, New York.
Overhauser, J., Chakraborty, M. S., and Kelley-Card, L., 1990, Removal of yeast contamination from lymphoblast cultures, Biotechniques 8:177.
Phillips, D. M. (ed.), 1977, Electron Microscopy of Mycoplasma Infections of Cultured Cells, Plenum Press, New York.
Phillips, D. M. (ed.), 1978, SEM for Detection of Mycoplasma, 2, in: Becker, R. P. and Joharic, O., Scanning Electron Microscopy. AMF: O’Hare, IL, pp. 785–790.
Van Diggelen, O. P., Phillips, D. M., and Shin, S., 1977a, Endogenous HPRT activity in a cryptic strain of mycoplasma and its effect on cellular resistance to selective media in infected cell lines, Exp. Cell Res. 106:191–203.
Van Diggelen, O. P., Shin, S., and Phillips, D. M., 1977b, Reduction in cellular tumorigenicity after mycoplasma infection and elimination of mycoplasma from infected cultures by passage in nude mice, Cancer Res. 37:3680–3687.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
(1998). Contamination: How to Avoid It, Recognize It, and Get Rid of It. In: Introduction to Cell and Tissue Culture. Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology Techniques. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-27571-0_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-27571-0_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-306-45859-0
Online ISBN: 978-0-585-27571-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive