Tissue Culture Service

The IRTA – Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Tarragona) tissue culture service provides research projects and activities throughout the whole of IRTA and other institutions with the possibility to culture and maintain stable cell lines, and carry out tests with these lines under the supervision of specialized personnel that provides guarantees, flexibility and adaptability to specific requirements.

Services

• • Obtain and set up stable tissue culture cell lines.

• • Maintenance of tissue culture cell lines under strict conditions of sterility in order to ensure successful execution of associated experiments.

• • Preparation of specific culture media, buffer solutions, etc.

• • Maintenance of tissue culture cell line stocks in liquid nitrogen.

• • Undertaking cytotoxicity studies using different cell lines (fibroblasts, neuroblastoma cells, epithelial, etc.) and colorimetric methods (MTT, NR, and others).

• • Detection of the activity of neurotoxins that act on membrane channels (e.g. VGSC) by using specific inhibitors and activators.

• • Statistical analysis of toxicological parameters: EC0, EC20, EC80, NOEC, LOAEC, etc.

• • Possibility of incorporating new culture protocols and tissue cell line experiments adapted for each specific project.

• • Optical micrograph service.

• • Training in basic tissue culture techniques.

• Possibility to provide clients with the use and benefits of laboratory facilities based on strict standards according to their specific requirements.

Reliability

This service is responsible for the correct functioning of the laboratory through strict control of use, cleaning, management of consumables and purchase of specific products needed for the maintenance of cultured strains and strains cryo-preserved in liquid nitrogen.