A cell bank is a facility that stores cells of specific genome for the purpose of future use in a product or medicinal needs, but can also describe the entity of stored cells itself. Cell banks often contain expansive amounts of base cell material that can be utilized for various projects. Cell banks can be used to generate detailed characterizations of cell lines and can also help mitigate cross-contamination of a cell line.[1] Utilizing cell banks also reduces the cost of cell culture processes, providing a cost-efficient alternative to keeping cells in culture constantly. Cell banks are commonly used within fields including stem cell research and pharmaceuticals, with cryopreservation being the traditional method of keeping cellular material intact.[2] Cell banks also effectively reduce the frequency of a cell sample diversifying from natural cell divisions over time.[3]
- ^ Kaufmann, Stefan H.E. (2004). Novel vaccination strategies. Wiley-VCH. p. 283. ISBN 9783527606092. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- ^ Harel, Adrian (2013-02-13). "Cryopreservation and Cell Banking for Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies". Cell & Tissue Transplantation & Therapy. 2013 (5): 1. doi:10.4137/CTTT.S11249.
- ^ "Cryogenic Storage of Animal Cells". 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2017.