JHU Cell Center

Services

  1. Isolation and cryopreservation of viable lymphocytes from blood
  2. Isolation, aliquoting, and cryopreservation of sera and plasma
  3. Establishment of cell lines from blood
  4. Establishment of cell lines from frozen lymphocytes
  5. Preparation of culture seed stocks
  6. Preparation of cells for DNA or RNA extraction
  7. Establishment of fibroblast cultures from Tissue Biopsies
  8. Repository Services
  9. Retrieval for Mycoplasma detection or authentication
  10. World-wide Shipping Services

Isolation and cryopreservation of viable lymphocytes from whole blood:

BioProcessing Lymph Isolation/Transformation Request Form

BioProcessing Instructions for Phlebotomists_Form

Service includes lymphocyte isolation by ficoll gradient, cell count, viability determination, cryopreservation of 1 ml aliqot whole blood, 1-4 aliqots of isolated lymphocytes @ 5 x 106 cells, and electronic sample tracking. Cryopreserved lymphocytes are suitable for future transformation. Same-day service.

Isolation, aliquoting, and cryopreservation of sera and plasma:

BioProcessing Sera/Plasma Form

BioProcessing Instructions for Phlebotomists_Form

Service includes isolation and cryostorage of sera and plasma aliqots (1-3ml) with electronic sample tracking. Cryopreserved sera and plasma proteins are intact for future analysis. Same-day service.

Establishment of cell lines from blood:

BioProcessing Lymph Isolation/Transformation Request Form

BioProcessing Instructions for Phlebotomists_Form

Service includes B-cell transformation from blood lymphocytes, culture expansion, and cryopreservation. Specifically includes: lymphocyte isolation by ficoll separation, cell count, viability determination, cryopreservation of whole blood aliquot (1 ml), 1-4 aliqots of lymphocytes @ 5 x 106 cells, and 4 aliqots of (transformed) lymphoblasts @ 5 x 106 cells and electronic sample tracking. Allow 8-10 weeks for completion.

Establishment of cell lines from frozen lymphocytes:

BioProcessing Change Order Request Form

Service includes B-cell transformation from blood lymphocytes, culture expansion, and cryopreservation. Specifically includes: Thaw of cryopreserved cells, count, viability determination, cryopreservation of whole blood aliquot (1 ml), 1-4 aliqots of lymphocytes @ 5 x 106 cells, and 4 aliqots of (transformed) lymphoblasts @ 5 x 106 cells and electronic sample tracking. Allow 8-10 weeks for completion.

Preparation of culture seed stocks:

BioProcessing Regrowth Request Form

Cultured cells from your lab can be tested for mycoplasma, expanded, aliquoted, and cryopreserved in freezing media (5 x 106/vial).

Preparation of cells for DNA or RNA extraction:

BioProcessing Growth Established Lines Form

Eukaryotic cells from the your lab or from ATCC can be expanded for nucleic acid isolation (1 x 10 8 cells). DNA or RNA extraction is available separately at the Fragment Analysis Facility.

Establishment of fibroblast cultures from Tissue Biopsies:

BioProcessing Fibroblast Culture Form

Service includes fibroblast establishment in culture, and cryopreservation of four (4) aliqots (5 x 106 cells per vial) and electronic sample tracking. Submit 5 X 2mm biopsy and allow 8-10 weeks for completion.

Repository Services:

BioStorage Deposit Form

The Cell Center is a member of the International Society of Biological Repositories (ISBER) and follows ISBER's best practices for repositories. Deposit and retrieval of cryopreserved specimens may occur anytime however it is preferred from 10:00-11:30 am & 2:00-4:00 pm. A 4-hour advance notice is requested to retrieve 50 or more samples. Current Capacity is 240,000 ampoules stored at -180C in nitrogen vapor. Ultra-low temperature freezers, house 80,000 specimens each at -80C. As an additional safeguard, replicate aliquots are stored in separate freezers. Twenty-four hour electronic monitoring of temperature is provided by Rees Scientific. Barcoded specimens and sample tracking are provided using the Freezerworks 4D relational database..

Retreival for Mycoplasma Detection or Authentication

BioStorage Retrieval/Transport Request Form

Samples Stored in the GRCF BioRepository may be sent for mycoplasma detection. Mycoplasma genotyping will be performed by the Fragment Analysis Facility.

World-wide Shipping Services:

BioShipping Request Form

The Cell Center processes more than 500 shipments per year. The service includes dry ice, shipping boxes, contact with courier for pick-up and telephone or e-mail follow-up with recipient upon shipping. All Cell Center personnel have been trained in Department of Transportation (DOT) hazardous materials shipping regulations. Investigators are responsible for preparing material transfer agreements (MTA) through the Johns Hopkins Office of Licensing and Technology.