Culture Contamination (MCF7) - (Jun/23/2006 )

Hi,

I'm growing MCF 7 cells and I had contamination last week with tiny shaped particles that seem like bacteria as I don't use antibiotics. The media also became turbid. I descarded the cells and I starte new culture bu thawing cells from earlier stock. I also opend new media, trypsin and PBS buffer. However I can see small particles between cells . I dont know if this is contamination again or just protein particles from the cryo preservation, I'm still worried that I still have contamination or my stock is contaminated. The media still clear, Any one had a situation like this.

thanks a bunch

I had the same problem. Sometimes, dead cells are round and dark in colour & look like bacterial contamination. One has to check carefully. If they are moving and not stationary that means it is a bacterial contamination. Bacterial contamination progresses very fast so after 24 hours there will millions of bactria sqiggling around! I hope this helps.

I would say you did rightly in opening new media, trypsin, and pbs at least that way you are ruling out some potential sources for contamination. It's hard to say what the particles are, but they could be left over from cryo. It's a good sign that the media hasn't turned turbid yet though. I wonder did you make sure to spray down the outside of the tube with EtOH after thawing it in the waterbath? (I know stupid question ... but I actually did that once with one of my cell lines and it ended up very much so contaminated ... so many little technical mistakes can cost you by contaminating your cells). How are the recently thawed cells doing as far as viability?