Depositing a cell line with ECACC: the strengths of quality control, storage and distribution

Cell lines are increasingly critical tools for life science research and as concerns over scientific reproducibility grow, it is essential that they are of known origin, and they are valid in terms of identity, freedom from microbial contamination and function.

Public culture collections such as ECACC ensure the cell lines they hold are quality controlled and fit for purpose and the expectations of cell line originators and end users are met.  ECACC maintains secure master and working banks of cryopreserved stocks of the cell lines in its collection. This ensures decades of supply with the added advantage of an international network of distributors to ensure that valid and viable cells are delivered rapidly with a secure cold-chain to end users wherever they are in the world and comply with any international or local cross border regulations. 

ECACC can manage a wide variety of deposit agreements with cell line originators to manage intellectual property and license agreements.  An article written by PHE Culture Collections scientists Edward Burnett and Jim Cooper published in GIT Laboratory Journal outlines the advantages of depositing cell lines with culture collections, and summarises the challenges and problems that Culture Collections face and how they are overcome.