These cells are useful for investigating macrophage-like behavior, including studying inflammatory cytokine synthesis and secretion, assembly of the inflammasome, immune responses to PAMPs and DAMPs, biomaterial-immune cell interactions, etc.
Preferred over RAW 264.7, which do not express ASC and cannot competently activate the inflammasome pathway.
ATCC: TIB-67
Organism: Mouse
Morphology: Monocyte/Macrophage
Culture: Adherent
BSL: 1
Culture Medium: DMEM + 10% Fetal Bovine Serum and 1% Pen/Strep
Passaging conditions: Change medium for fresh, pre-warmed medium and scrape with sterile cell scraper. Resuspend in fresh medium.
Cryopreservation medium: pH-equilibrated culture medium + 10% ultra-pure DMSO
The cells should exist as an almost 50/50% population of small, round, monocyte-like cells as well as stretched bi-directional, fibroblast-like cells. If the cells become stellate (star-like) and highly vacuolar then they are stressed. Return the flask to the incubator and monitor daily for phenotype improvement, changing the medium as necessary. Do not passage the cells if they are stressed, as they will die (<60% viable). Do not use medium that appears highly alkaline (deep pink) when removed from the culture fridge – this usually happens when a bottle of medium is close to 2 months old.
