Cell culture contaminations - (Sep/24/2005 )

Hi,

I guess it is just never ending storry about these contaminations in cell cultures.
I've just stared month ago with hybridoma culture.Today I found sth wired in my plates.

It seems I got 'worms' in my culture. These 'aliens' look like worms and move like worms.
some time ago I observed some 'dots', so round objects around 30times smaller than my cells.I thought they might have been cell particles liberated from dead cells. With time there would be more and more of them.I'm not sure if these worms don't come out of these objects.
Since I'm rather unexperienced, I ask You to help me out in here.

Did anyone of You have such a 'thing'' before?

I would be gratefull for some hints

sounds like a classic case of cell culture contamination.

there are a few ways to remove the contaminants that sometimes work, but usually just freak out your poor little cells even more

the best bet is to throw them away, decontaminate your lab like crazy, and start fresh with the best technique you have

good luck

I see something very similar to what you are describing (worms) if I don't filter my collagenase during my EC culture technique...
And feel your pain! I am recently recovered from an entire summer of contamination like the 'dots' you described as well, just had to bite the bullet and buy EVERYTHING new. Very $, but I was ready to jump off a bridge from the madness of not being able to fix it!
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I'm also starting from the very begining, I didn't manage to get rid of the 'worms'. I hope this time it will work better for both of us.
On the top of it.I changed interleukin 6 stock solution and the cells seem not to like it,so I have to optimize the concentration again.

Anyway, don't jump off the bridge yet All best

hi

these dots like structure might be the cell constent (rupture cell particles). when the cell line is rather old and if there is no media change, cells become old and the cell wall gets disintegrated, cytoplasmic content comes out and forms dot like structure.
in another case these dots like structure may be the bacterial contamination which is non motile and gram positive cocci. in order to detect the contamination. just take few ml of sample aseptically in centrifuge tube and centirfuge it and aspectically transfer to the fresh media or SCDM AND perform sterility test.

in another suituation these large thread like structure is due to fungal contamination and if detected in early stage, it can be cured by antimycotic agents

Hi vega,

I got some weird things exatly like the ones you are describing. Finally did you find what those things are?
I'm working with 3 differents cell types and just one got contaminated. I'm wondering if my medium wasn't already contaminated before I started the culture. Was your medium new?