STR profile

The main journals of oncological interest have introduced restrictive criteria for authors in terms of authentication of cell lines: for publication, each human cell line used needs to be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity provided by an authorized structure. In 2012 an International Committee of Experts (International Cell Line Authentication Committee ICLAC) was set up and the Biological Bank is one of its members. The ICLAC makes available to the scientific community guidelines for the correct use of cell lines and the Database of Cross-Contaminated or Misidentified Cell Lines. Cellosaurus provides detailed data on more than 100.000 cell lines used around the world, and among these on the cell lines distributed by ICLC.

ICLC provides the service of authentication of human cell lines with Short Tandem Repeat (STR) genetic profile according to the ANSI / ATCC Standard ASN-0002-2011 Authentication of Human Cell Lines: Standardization of STR Profiling.

The test, performed in collaboration with the Legal Medicine Unit, is made up of the amplification of fifteen STR loci plus amelogenin by multiplex PCR. The products are simultaneously analyzed with automated detection techniques and the result is a highly reproducible line-specific numeric code. The values obtained are analyzed and compared with published profiles in the Cell Line Integrated Molecular Authentication (CLIMA). The profile becomes an integral part of the cell line identifier, confirming identity and data reproducibility.

Referent for this analysis is Dr. Paola Visconti: for information on the assay please send an email to paola.visconti@hsanmartino.it or call 010 555-7491.