culture contamination...yeast, bacteria, mycoplasma - (Jun/16/2007 )

Have anyone face with the contamnate problem in cell culture lab? Can you exchange your experience and how you resolve your problem ?

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once my old lab had a mycoplamsa contamination and it took ages before they could sort it out. the hole liquid nitorgen had to be cleared out as someone had stored some vials of cell line contaminated with mycoplasma. Now they regularly check for mycoplasma using some PCR.

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yup PCR is fine..

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NO NO NO PCR is not fine. Look on the ATCC website, they no longer use PCR as a method for Mycoplasma Contamination as it is so UNRELIABLE. The only FDA approved methods are:

i) Hoescht Staining

in combination with

ii) Direct Culture method.


People doing experimentation out there with cell, both primary and cell lines MUST DO THE RIGHT TEST and do it REGULARLY. If the ATCC (probably the largest providers of cells in the world) are not using PCR.......WHAT DOES THAT SAY

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