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The section on cell cultures and cytometry of the SCSIE (Central Service for Experimental Research) is a laboratory for the development of a set of techniques that allow the growth, maintenance and study of “in vitro” cells.

Comprises 3 areas of work:

  • Cell cultures
  • Cryopreservation
  • Flow cytometry

Cell cultures
The cell cultures require a system that reproduce as much as possible the conditions that exist “in vivo”, as well as safety measures appropriate for its use.
The section offers the basic requirements that guarantee the maintenance in optimal conditions of cell cultures.

  • Equipment and appropriate facilities.
  • Standards and appropriate work techniques.
  • Culture media, supplements and basic expendable materials.
  • Control of contaminations.

Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation involves the proper freezing of cells and its maintenance in optimal conditions for its subsequent defrosting.
The section offers the expendable materials and the devices required for its freezing and the maintenance of the cryovials of 2ml:

  • Controlled freezing devices. DURATION: 24 hours
  • Freezers of 80ºC. DURATION: 6 months maximum.
  • Liquid nitrogen tanks for maintaining a temperature of -196º. DURATION: the time that the user deems necessary.
  • Registration software and control of vials.
  • The users could have a deposit of cell lines of their property that will supply their needs.

Flow cytometry
The flow cytometry is a technique that enables high-speed multiparameter analysis of cells in suspension. The cells, passing one to one in front of a light source, produce two types of signals that the flow cytometer is capable of measuring:

  • Dispersion signals of the cells.
  • Fluorescence signals, from themselves or after the labeling of the cells with fluorescent probes.
  • The advantages of this technique over other:
  • The possibility of analysing physical and chemical characteristics of cells or individual cell components.
  • The possibility of doing simultaneous measurements in the same cell: multiparameter analysis.
  • High speed analysis: possibility of studying many samples in a short time.
  • The possibility of measuring specific characteristics in heterogeneous populations and to detect underrepresented sub-populations.
  • Cell separation: possibility of separating and collecting a cell sub-population of interest.

The section offers equipment for the study of structural and functional characteristics of cells or particles in suspension, such as:

  • Identification of cell populations and phenotyping:
  • Viability
  • Cell cycle, DNA quantification
  • Proliferation
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Kinetics
  • Cytokine production
  • Signaling
  • Protein quantification
  • Microbiology
  • Etc.