SLAS Discovery: The History, Landscape, and Outlook of Human Cell Line Authentication and Security (Pertsemlidis)

Published On: November 20, 2024
Shared by

1,2,3 ∙ 4 ∙ 5,6,7 ∙ 1,2,3

1 Introduction

The phenomenon of cellular cross-contamination and misidentification (“CCCM”) was identified more than six decades ago and continues to pose significant challenges for laboratories globally. The prevalence of CCCM is alarmingly high, with estimates suggesting that up to 30% of cell lines may be misidentified, leading to substantial financial losses[]. Accelerating progress in biotechnology intensifies the complexity of ensuring experiment reproducibility and data validity and compounds the need to protect the intellectual property that arises from cell line engineering. This calls for a unified approach from the scientific community—including researchers, journal editors, and funding bodies—to adopt new technologies and establish robust cellular authentication protocols as standard practice in life science research.
Despite fifty-five years of attention through reviews, letters, calls to action, surveys, and technical innovations[], cellular cross-contamination and misidentification persist, with global rates estimated to be between 14% and 46%. The International Journal of Cancer (“IJC”), an early proponent of mandated authentication for publication, observed cell line problems in approximately a fifth of submitted manuscripts from over a three-year period from 2018 to 2021[,]. The propagation of genetically engineered sublineages exacerbates this problem, highlighting the urgent need for widespread adoption of authentication protocols.
Article Categories: Research Paper

Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.