4 replies to this topic

[Hellie]

I am growing SH-SY5Y cells for the first time and was under the impression that they are subcultured using regular techniques for adherent cells. However, when I looked them up on the ATCC website it says that SH-SY5Y cultures contain both adherent and suspended cells and when you subculture them you should remove and spin down the suspended cells and add them to the fresh culture medium. Is this necessary? Are the cells in suspension different?

[HMG]

hi,
we culture SHSY5Y normally as other adherent cell lines like HEK293. trypsinize...spin down and add fresh media and 0.5 in fresh media in culture dish to grow

[Hellie]

HMG, on Sep 9 2009, 10:54 AM, said:

hi,
we culture SHSY5Y normally as other adherent cell lines like HEK293. trypsinize...spin down and add fresh media and 0.5 in fresh media in culture dish to grow

Fab cheers, that is what the person I got the cells from said too. It just threw me when I read about the suspended cells!

[bob1]

The suspension cells appear to be part of the cell population and are not dead as you would normally consider floating cells to be in adherent cultures.  You should do as the ATCC says!  Otherwise you may well be altering the cell phenotype by selecting for cells that stay attached.

[Hellie]

Oh, that makes sense, in the back of my mind I was thinking that but was also wanting the quickest option I guess! It seems people are divided in what they do from what I have read. Hmmm.