Today, we found this object in one of the wells of a 96wp culture plate. The plate contained MEC-1 cells and GelTrex. I am quite curious what this is (because it's not cells). Do you have any suggestions?
You are right. They are not cells. I feel it is fungal contamination. I can observe slender filament-like structures forming a circle which could be hyphae. The hyphae may be unbranched or branched. They can appear whiteish, yellowish, or black in culture.
You may confirm the presence of fungal contamination by checking with lactophenol cotton blue staining or rapid fluorescent staining. The details are provided in the link below.
It appears to be a fungal contamination. Here are a few reasons why this might be the case:
Colonial Morphology: The structure resembles a fungal colony, which can often appear as a fuzzy, multi-textured growth. This can be observed with a distinct border and varying texture in the center versus the periphery.
Size and Scale: Given the scale bar in the image, the size of the structure is consistent with fungal colonies that can grow in culture plates.
Growth Conditions: GelTrex, being an extracellular matrix, provides a rich environment that can support the growth of fungi if contamination occurs. Similarly, culture conditions suitable for mammalian cells can also be favorable for fungi.
Steps to Confirm and Address:
Microscopic Examination: Perform a closer examination under a microscope to confirm fungal hyphae or spore structures, which would be indicative of fungal contamination.
Culturing: Take a sample and culture it on a medium conducive to fungal growth (e.g., Sabouraud agar). This can help confirm the presence of fungal contamination.
Sterility Checks: Conduct sterility checks on all reagents, media, and equipment used. Ensure that all steps in the cell culture process are performed under aseptic conditions.