Cell Culture laboratory of Biological Containment Level 2 (BCL2). It has several rooms: Cell Lines Room, Primary Cultures Room, Hypoxia Room and Viral Vectors Room (BCL2+), with 10 biosafety cabinets, 6 incubators and all the necessary equipment to work with eukaryotic cell cultures.
Prepared and controlled by technicians so the user just focuses on his experiment.
The facilities of the cell culture laboratory consist of several rooms:
- Cell Lines Room: with 6 laminar flow cabinets, 4 incubators, 2 cell counters and the necessary material to work on cell biology.
- Primary Cultures Room: with 2 cabinets, an incubator, a cell counter and little equipment necessary for culture work.
- Hypoxia Room: hypoxia station with 4 incubators with independent oxygen sensors.
- BCL2+ Room: room for working with viral vectors or biological agents that require greater safety.
The laboratory is designed to work under level 2 biosafety conditions. It has acces control, entry locks, PVC scotia walls, HEPA air inlet filter and furniture on wheels.
Supply of basic culture consumables, media and supplements. More specific upon user request.
The facilities and their equipment allow working under aseptic conditions and monitoring cell growth. They also allow to carry out basic cell biology experiments.
The rooms also have CO2 detectors installed (and also O2 in the hypoxia room) to guarantee the users safety.
Resources integrated in the Cell Culture laboratory:
EQUIPMENT |
BRAND AND MODEL |
NUMBER |
INVENTORY CODE |
DESCRIPTION |
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINET |
TELSTAR 3 BIO-II A 7 BIO-II ADVANCE 4 |
10 |
72-210580 72-210580 72-111347 Rest, pending |
Type IIA biosafety cabinet. It allows to protect the sample, the operator and the environment. 70% of air recirculation. 30% of air outdoor exit. It has EPA filters and germicide UV light for its disinfection. |
CO2 INCUBATOR |
THERMO FORMA FISHER 3 Steri-Cycle 371 2 Steri-CyCle i160 1 Cell Locker |
6 |
72-111713 72-140794 72-111713 Rest, pending |
Incubators for the growth and maintenance of cell cultures under optimal conditions of temperature, humidity and CO2 for cell growth. The Cell Locker also has separate compartments to minimise cross-contamination. |
REFRIGERATED INCUBATOR |
BINDER KT115 |
1 |
72-219649 |
Incubator for the growth and culture of insect cells, or in need of lower temperatures. |
HYPOXIA STATION |
BIOSPHERIX X VIVO |
1 |
72-187465 |
Closed modular hypoxia station allowing to work with 4 independent hypoxia/hyperoxia conditions. |
NITROGEN GENERATOR |
PARKER HPN2-12500C-E |
1 |
Pending |
Equipment connected to the hypoxia station to ensure N2 supply. |
CELL COUNTERS |
COUNTESSTM II AMQAX100 |
4 |
72-205663 |
Automatic cell counter allowing to distinguish between viable and non-viable cells. |
INVERTED MICROSCOPE |
NIKON Eclipse TS-100 ZEISS Axio Vert |
3 |
72-177948 72-181830 Pending |
Inverted microscopes for monitoring cell growth and density. The Zeiss microscope has an integrated camera and 4x, 10x, 20x and 40x objectives. |
FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPE |
NIKON Eclipse TE-2000S |
1 |
72-111342 |
Fluorescence microscope with an integrated camera. 10x, 20x and 40x objectives. |
CELL IMAGING AUTOMATIC SYSTEM |
NanoEnTeck, JULI LG04 (GFP) |
1 |
72-217785 |
Green fluorescence microscope able to programme image acquisition over time. |
CENTRIFUGES |
EPPENDORF 5810R EPPENDORF 5702R and 5702 |
4 |
72-138248 Rest pending |
Centrifuges specially designed for cell culture laboratories. Maximum speed of 5,500 rpm. |
MICROULTRACENTRIFUGE |
HIMAC CS150FNX |
1 |
72-217783 |
Floor standing ultracentrifuge with 3 rotors: S55A2, S50A and swing-out rotor S52ST. |
MICROPLATE READER |
THERMO FORMA FISHER Multiscan Ex |
1 |
72-107232 |
Absorbance plate reader with filters at: 340, 405, 414, 450, 570. 595. 620 and 650 nm. |
THERMOSTATIC BATHS |
RAYPA BAE-2 5l C/FP |
7 |
72-100091 72-131621 72-217733 72-217733 72-131621 72-122440 72-76415 |
Homogeneous temperature of 37°C for tempering means, reagents, samples, etc. |
SUCTION SYSTEM |
VACUSAFE Comfort Plus |
11 |
5 72-155095 3 72-218098 3 72-194691 |
Suction, collection and subsequent disposal of biological liquid waste system. |
DOUBLE DOOR AUTOCLAVE |
UNISTERI HP 559-2ED |
1 |
72-205130 |
Autoclave for sterilisation of waste and contaminated materials. |
SINGLE DOOR AUTOCLAVE |
UNISTERI HP 336-1ED |
1 |
72-205128 |
Autoclave for sterilisation of materials and reusable consumables. |
4º C FRIDGES |
INFRICO LTF65GD |
5 |
72-217557 |
Maintenance of users and section media, supplements and reagents. |
-20ºC FREEZERS |
INFRICO LTF65GD |
3 |
72-217558 |
Maintenance of users and section supplements and reagents. |
-80ºC ULTRAFREEZERS |
SANYO 333L VIP SEG. FRED |
1 |
72-183391 |
-80°C freezer for freezing cell lines prior to the transfer to cryogenic tanks. |
-80ºC ULTRAFREEZER |
INFRICO |
1 |
Pending |
-80ºC underbench freezer for virus room. |
PRECISION SCALE |
KER 572-33 |
1 |
72-99802 |
Weighing range [Max]: 1,600 g, Readability [d]: 0.01 g, Reproducibility: 0.01 g, Linearity: 0.03 g, Weighing pan: Ø 150 mm (Stainless steel). |
LUMINOMETER |
LONZA Luceta simple sample |
1 |
72-177956 |
Equipment for mycoplasma analysis in culture medium. |
tube SHAKER |
HEIDOLPH Reax-Top |
6 |
72-131619 72-131620 |
Vortex tube shaker. |
TISSUE DISSOCIATOR |
MILTENYI BIOTEC gentleMACS™ |
1 |
72-194689 |
Tissue dissociator that provides greater efficacy than conventional methods. Reduces the amount of cellular waste and cell death. With specific protocols for certain cell types. |
IMMUNOMAGNETIC SEPARATOR |
MILTENYI BIOTEC MINI & MIDIMACS |
1 |
72-194684 |
Immunomagnetic cell separator using columns and antibodies attached to magnetic beads. |
SEMIAUTOMATIC outdoor DISTRIBUTION PLANT of gases with: 4 N2 cylinders, 4 CO2 cylinders and 4 O2 cylinders |
AIR LIQUIDE |
1 |
Pending |
Distribution plant that guarantees the continuous supply of gases to the room. It is simultaneously connected to the nitrogen generator so that, in the event of generator breakdown, it ensures the N2 supply to the hypoxia station. |
Gas detection CONTROL UNIT |
OLDHAM MX32 with CO2 and O2 detectors |
5 |
72-216080 |
Control unit for O2 and CO2 levels in the hypoxia room and for CO2 level in the rest, with acoustic and light alarm. |
|
It allows to work with level 2 biological agents: eukaryotic cell culture.
- Working with established cell lines.
- Carrying out primary cultures.
- Carrying out co-cultures.
- Generating and working with viral vectors.
- Experimenting with GMOs.
- Working with cells subjected to hypoxia and hyperoxia.
- Developing cell biology techniques.
- Detecting mycoplasma contaminations.
- Freezing, thawing and amplifying cell line stocks.
- Testing at researcher request.
ISO 9001:2015 certification
Annual validation of the Biosafety cabinets by an accredited external company
Annual review of incubators by an external company
Six-monthly review of the Hypoxia Station
To be an authorised user in the Cell Culture Service. To this end, you must inform about the project, the collaborators who will be working on it, the use of biological agents, be familiar with the working rules and take a guided tour by the section’s technicians.
Access to the facilities is allowed wearing a lab coat, overshoes and a mask provided by this section. They are for exclusive use in the laboratory.