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Floating cells...pls help - (Nov/11/2009 )

Are all floating cells in a cell culture dish dead? will the floating cells get adhered to the dish surface after sometime?

-bioquest-

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 08:37 AM said:

Are all floating cells in a cell culture dish dead? will the floating cells get adhered to the dish surface after sometime?


It depends on the cell type. With adherent cells, yes, floating cells are generally all dead. The exception would be shortly after initial plating of the cells, in which case some cells will not have settled to the bottom of the dish. After a few hours, I would say that any cells not attached are probably dead. I'm not aware of any circumstance where dead cells will attach to a plate.

There are cell lines that grow as a combination of adherent and floating cells, in which case all cells are considered relevant.

It would help to know what cells you're working with to give a more definitive answer.

-gfischer-

gfischer on Nov 11 2009, 09:25 AM said:

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 08:37 AM said:

Are all floating cells in a cell culture dish dead? will the floating cells get adhered to the dish surface after sometime?


It depends on the cell type. With adherent cells, yes, floating cells are generally all dead. The exception would be shortly after initial plating of the cells, in which case some cells will not have settled to the bottom of the dish. After a few hours, I would say that any cells not attached are probably dead. I'm not aware of any circumstance where dead cells will attach to a plate.

There are cell lines that grow as a combination of adherent and floating cells, in which case all cells are considered relevant.

It would help to know what cells you're working with to give a more definitive answer.


Thanks for the reply. I am working on N2a cell line. The cells were floating even when kept for 3-4 days. So what's your suggestion on this. Thnx in advance

-bioquest-

Were all/a significant portion of the cells floating, or just a few? What are the culture conditions? Have you checked for contamination?

-gfischer-

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 11:59 AM said:

gfischer on Nov 11 2009, 09:25 AM said:

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 08:37 AM said:

Are all floating cells in a cell culture dish dead? will the floating cells get adhered to the dish surface after sometime?


It depends on the cell type. With adherent cells, yes, floating cells are generally all dead. The exception would be shortly after initial plating of the cells, in which case some cells will not have settled to the bottom of the dish. After a few hours, I would say that any cells not attached are probably dead. I'm not aware of any circumstance where dead cells will attach to a plate.

There are cell lines that grow as a combination of adherent and floating cells, in which case all cells are considered relevant.

It would help to know what cells you're working with to give a more definitive answer.


Thanks for the reply. I am working on N2a cell line. The cells were floating even when kept for 3-4 days. So what's your suggestion on this. Thnx in advance


Those cells are dead,just wash them away

-Gongfu Panda-

Gongfu Panda on Nov 11 2009, 02:43 PM said:

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 11:59 AM said:

gfischer on Nov 11 2009, 09:25 AM said:

bioquest on Nov 11 2009, 08:37 AM said:

Are all floating cells in a cell culture dish dead? will the floating cells get adhered to the dish surface after sometime?


It depends on the cell type. With adherent cells, yes, floating cells are generally all dead. The exception would be shortly after initial plating of the cells, in which case some cells will not have settled to the bottom of the dish. After a few hours, I would say that any cells not attached are probably dead. I'm not aware of any circumstance where dead cells will attach to a plate.

There are cell lines that grow as a combination of adherent and floating cells, in which case all cells are considered relevant.

It would help to know what cells you're working with to give a more definitive answer.


Thanks for the reply. I am working on N2a cell line. The cells were floating even when kept for 3-4 days. So what's your suggestion on this. Thnx in advance


Those cells are dead,just wash them away


ya you are right...i've washed them, thnx for the help

-bioquest-

Having had a quick look at the ATCC website, it seems you may have been a bit hasty in washing the cells away... the pictures on there look like there are a lot of round, possibly floating cells in the culture.

Next time, keep some of these cells and add some trypan blue, have a look under a scope, if all the cells are blue... then they are dead, if not, you need to be keeping them as part of the culture.

-bob1-