ATCC (American Type Culture Collection), the world’s largest and most diverse bioresource center, provides an STR Profiling Service for human cell line authentication. With over 20 years of experience performing short tandem repeat profiling (STR profiling) on its extensive biorepository – more than any other provider – ATCC offers investigators the easiest and surest solution to verify the identity of their human cell lines.

Researchers simply apply cells to an FTA® card following the instructions provided with the FTA® Sample Collection Kit – a highly convenient method that is only available from ATCC. The need to ship samples on dry ice is eliminated. ATCC will amplify the DNA using the Promega PowerPlex® 16 HS System and analyze the results. Investigators can expect results via e-mail within 5 days from receipt of their sample at ATCC.

ATCC offers two levels of service: Basic and Verified. The Basic STR Profiling Service (135-X) includes a signed Cell Line Authentication Report containing an easy-to-understand STR allele table and electropherograms that support the allele calls at each locus. The Verified STR Profiling Service (135-XV) includes everything in the Basic service, plus known reference profiling against the ATCC STR Profile database, and a comprehensive interpretation of the results.

Unlike normal diploid cells, many continuous cell lines – especially cancer cell lines – are karyotypically abnormal or genetically unstable, making data interpretation difficult. And as misidentified cell lines continue to plague research, human cell line authentication via STR analysis is becoming a requirement of many journals prior to publication, and funding agencies.

STR loci are among the most informative polymorphic markers in the genome. ATCC generates the STR profile by simultaneously amplifying 15 STR loci, plus the amelogenin gene for gender determination, in a multiplex PCR reaction enabling a 1 in >1017 matching rate for unrelated individuals.

For more information, please go to www.atcc.org/STRprofiling. To speak with an expert or place an order, call toll free 1 800 638 6597 (option 2) in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, or international callers can dial +1 703 365 2700, or e-mail ATCC Customer Service at STRtesting(at)atcc(dot)org.

ABOUT ATCC

Since 1925, ATCC has operated as an independent, non-profit entity that has helped life science organizations and academic institutions produce innovations that have benefited humankind: creating life saving vaccines, nutritional improvements, cancer research breakthroughs, and safer, more effective medications. With distribution to more than 140 countries and a working relationship with 12 distribution partners, ATCC has the experience, knowledge, rigor, tradition and the global reach to serve academic institutions, government agencies, biotech, biopharma, and research organizations around the world. ATCC is an ISO 9001:2008 certified, ISO/IEC 17025:2005, and ISO Guide 34:2009 accredited organization.