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Primary cells versus cell lines

Primary cells and cell lines are essential tools in biomedical research but they exhibit critical differences. Understanding the differences is necessary for choosing the right cells for your application.


Primary cells, isolated directly from tissues, offer a rich understanding of donors, allowing researchers to consider factors like age, medical history, and race in their experimental setup. Primary cells resemble the tissue from which they were acquired and have low levels of genetic mutations but cannot be passaged indefinitely. Despite their limited lifespan, primary cells capture the complexity of living tissues, crucial for personalized medicine.


Conversely, cell lines, which are continually passaged and homogenized over time, are used for convenience as they are easy to handle and widely published but they sacrifice biological relevance. Continuous cell lines (mostly derived from tumor tissue), capable of indefinite proliferation, lack the authentic characteristics of the original tissue due to genetic mutations. While widely used for ease, cell lines fall short in mimicking in vivo environments, with serial passaging inducing variations that may lead to misleading results .


Table of primary cell and cell line characteristics

Primary cells Continuous cell lines
Lifespan Limited, resembles tissue characteristics Infinite, loses tissue characteristics
Closer to an in vivo model   Yes, isolated directly from the tissue  No, clonally selected over time
Mutations /  modifications Low High
Authentication required before use  No, if bought commercially  Yes, mandated by many government institutes and scientific journals
Availability of donor characteristics  Yes  No

Our primary cells

Highly published products


Our cell culture products are widely published and recognized for quality and consistency and tissue utilized for our primary cells is ethically obtained and meets global guidelines. Our manufacturing capabilities in ISO-standard research products to GMP-grade production simplifies the shift from research into therapeutic applications. Whether you are writing a grant application or developing a screening assay, using our primary cells and media gives you the added level of confidence in the results achieved.

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Variety of cell types and donors


Over 100+ human and animal cell types are in inventory with over 20 donors available for select types. For diseased cells, you can request detailed donor information including list of medications, cause of death and more by contacting our scientific support team.
 

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Custom solutions and dedicated support


CellBio Services gives you access to custom solutions for your primary cell culture including cell isolation, media production and 3D culture services. Scientific support offers one-on-one assistance by leveraging our cell culture expertise and vast library of protocols, whitepapers, and publications. We strive for excellence when supporting you with your experiments.

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Primary cell types

Primary cells

Primary cells and cell lines are essential tools in biomedical research.

PBMCs

PBMCs are a mixed population of single nucleus myeloid and lymphoid cells.

Hepatocytes

The liver is composed of five major cell types, and the hepatocyte is the most abundant cell type.

Airway cells

Learn which airway cell types exist and what functions they have.
 

Our cell culture media

For the majority of primary cell types, classical medium is not sufficient to support growth or to retain the phenotypic markers.


Our BulletKit® Media is formulated with additional growth factors and hormones to optimally support consistent growth of primary cells while maintaining the tissue-specific characteristics.
Looking for the best media for your cell type?

Access our primary cells and media poster for more information.

 

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Related resources

Primary cell culture - The why and the how
Webinar
This webinar provides you with tips and hints to start or improve your primary cell culture.
 

Accurate cell counting using a hemocytometer


Learn more about how to prevent mycoplasma contamination
 

The effect of light on media performance


Light exposure causes photoxidation which can generate harmful, highly reactive species that are damaging to your culture.