Cell Line & Mycoplasma Testing Registry
Track your lab’s cell lines with passage number, source and mycoplasma test dates. Status ages automatically: clear, due at 30 days, overdue at 60.
How it works
A register of the cell lines your own lab is culturing, with passage number, source, and the date each was last tested for mycoplasma. Elapsed time is derived from the recorded date, so status ages on its own: clear under 30 days, due at 30, overdue at 60. Add, edit and remove lines as your cultures change — the example rows are there only so the tool is not empty.
Frequently asked questions
Why do journals require cell line authentication?
A substantial fraction of published cell lines are misidentified or cross-contaminated — HeLa contamination alone accounts for many. Experiments performed on the wrong cell line produce conclusions about the wrong biology, and the problem propagates through the literature. Short tandem repeat (STR) profiling compares a line’s genetic fingerprint against reference databases, and most journals now require it before publication.
How often should cell lines be authenticated and tested?
Authenticate by STR profiling when a line first arrives, before starting a major study, and before publication — and test for mycoplasma monthly, since mycoplasma is invisible under a microscope yet alters growth rate, metabolism and gene expression. Keeping a low-passage frozen stock and returning to it regularly limits how far a working culture can drift.