Hi All,
I am just curious about how HeLa cell contaminated so many cell lines?
I mean, if we use disposable pipettes, disposable aspirating pipettes, disposable tips, HeLa cell shouldn't be able to jump to other cell line either in tissue culture hoods or incubators, right?
Like to hear your insights (or horror stories of HeLa cell contamination).
Thanks,
Lyra
I was taught that originally quite a few people practiced poor cell culture technique and sterilization practices. Not all labs used disposable items and I know a few researchers sometimes try to save equipment by reusing items. I still hear about some people practicing mouth pipetting so it doesn't surprise me some people may have cell culture contamination. Cell culture techniques can be difficult to teach to a researcher who is just starting off and perhaps that's when most of the contamination occurred.
Combined with sloppy technique that allows contamination to occur, HeLa cells grow very fast and outgrow most other cell lines.
HeLa cells are rapidly multiplicative. They will outgrow other cell lines. Please check your sterile supply and procedures.
Thanks for all of yours reply. Sometimes I feel people have irrational fear for HeLa cells. Given they are not like some viruses can spread by air. I guess if we practice good tissue culture techniques, HeLa cells would have no reason to spread to other cell lines.
Best,
Lyra
I am a frequent user of Hela cell line and this is the first time I've heard about this. I consider Hela as all-terrain cell line but it seems totally unrealistic hela cell jumping to other dishes either in the hood or in the incubator...
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