FAQ | MLI Tissue Procurement and Cell Culture Core

Frequently Asked Questions

Is custom media available for purchase?

Yes. We offer BEGM, UNC ALI and VALI custom media.

Do you provide training sessions?

Yes, we offer a $1.5$ -day basic cell culture training course.

To ensure best practice, please inquire via email for the next available session.

Topics covered include comprehensive general airway epithelial cell culture protocols such as isolating human airway epithelial cells, cell counting, seeding, and freezing cells. You can find handouts for some of these training topics under the “Protocols and Research Applications” category.

What is a chartfield string entry (CFS)? Who do I contact with chartfield string entry questions?

Here is a webpage entirely dedicated to the explanation of chartfield string entry: http://unclabmanual.web.unc.edu/chartfield-string/. Members of the MLI/CF Center can reach out to Elizabeth Rives for assistance with their iLab account access.

What is your Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) of Purchased Cells?

Our commitment to rigor and reproducibility is paramount. The full scientific details of our quality assurance process are provided on our dedicated Rigor and Reproducibility page.

In summary, our standard Quality Control protocols for cell culture verification include:

Functional Assessment: Ussing chamber analysis is performed to measure transepithelial electrical resistance, ensuring the physiological integrity of the cell barrier.
Morphological Verification: Histological imaging is used to confirm proper cellular differentiation and morphology.
Molecular Confirmation: Cells are subjected to DNA, RNA, and qtPCR to confirm cell type identity and molecular characteristics.
Media Sterility: Routine sterility analysis is conducted on all growth media.

How should we measure CO₂ in our incubators?

We recommend the VIASENSOR G100 CO2 analyzer was specifically designed to monitor carbon dioxide for the verification of incubators

I am having trouble with iLabs, what can I do?

Here is the iLabs FAQ page:
https://help.ilab.agilent.com/35322-getting-started/299372-welcome-to-ilab-help
Additionally, they are very quick at responding when contacted. Their support page can be found below:
https://help.ilab.agilent.com/35322-getting-started/296444-support

How should I cite the Marsico Lung Institute Tissue Procurement and Cell Culture Core for resources acquired to support my research?

For any effort we provide to your scientific work, please cite

Human lung cells were provided by the Marsico Lung Institute Tissue Procurement and Cell Culture Core that is supported by NIH grant DK065988 and CF Foundation Grant ESTHER24R0.