| Cell Line | Human Melanocyte (hML) |
| BBRJ Code | nh-skp-ML0026 |
| Product Type | Primary cells |
| Species | Homo sapiens |
| Vulgar Name | Human |
| Tissue | Foreskin |
| Cell Type | Melanocyte |
| Morphology | Bipolar, multipolar/ dendritic |
| Growth Properties | Adherent |
| Sex | Male |
| Age | 4 years |
| Ethnicity | Unknown |
| Derivation | Established from human foreskin |
| Applications | In vitro Assays for Research and Industry |
| Biosafety | 2 |
| Culture Medium | MBM-4 Melanocyte Basal Medium 4 (MBM-4) supplemented with Melanocyte Growth Medium 4 (MGM-4) - Lonza. |
| Subculturing | Enzymatic Dissociation: 1. Remove and discard the culture medium. 2. Rinse the flask three times with 1x PBS solution to remove residual metabolites. 3. Add 2 to 3 mL of TrypLE Select enzyme solution to the flask. 4. Observe the flask under an inverted microscope until the cell layer becomes individualized and detached (usually between 3 and 7 minutes). NOTE: To prevent cell clumping, do not agitate the flask until the enzyme has effectively acted. The flask may be placed at 37ºC (optimum activity temperature) to optimize the process. If, within the expected time, the cells are individualized but still slightly adherent, the flask can be gently tapped against the palm of the hand or a flat, smooth surface. 5. Add a volume of complete medium proportional to the previously added TrypLE solution to inactivate the enzyme. 6. Gently mix the cell suspension with the pipette, then transfer the suspension to a centrifuge tube. 7. Remove an aliquot for cell counting using a Neubauer chamber. 8. Centrifuge the cell suspension at 100 × g for 5–10 minutes. 9. Subculture: After centrifugation, resuspend the cells in growth medium and seed at a density of 4 - 6 x 10³ cells/cm². NOTE: For more information on enzymatic dissociation and cell subculture, see the 12th chapter of R. Ian Freshney's book Culture of Animal Cells, 6th edition, published by Alan R. Liss, N.Y., 2010. |
| Subculturing Medium Renewal | Every 2 to 3 days |
| Culture Conditions | Atmosphere: air, 95%; carbon dioxide (CO2), 5% Temperature: 37°C |
| Cryopreservation | 50% FBS +40% MBM-4 +10% DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide) |
| Thawing Frozen Cells | SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: It is strongly recommended to use gloves, protective clothing, face shields, and safety glasses when handling frozen cryotubes. It is important to note that some cryotubes may leak when submerged in liquid nitrogen and can slowly fill with nitrogen. During the thawing process, the conversion of liquid nitrogen into its gaseous form may cause cryotubes and their lids to explode. Step-by-Step Thawing: 1. Thaw the cryotube by gently shaking it in a water bath at 37°C. To minimize contamination, keep the cryotube cap out of the water. Thawing should be rapid (approximately 2 minutes). 2. Immediately after the entire contents of the cryotube have thawed, remove the vial from the water bath. Decontaminate the vial by either dipping it in or spraying it with 70% ethanol. NOTE: All procedures must be carried out under strict aseptic conditions. 3. Transfer the contents of the cryotube to a sterile 15 mL centrifuge tube containing 9.0 mL of culture medium. Gently pipette the suspension to ensure homogenization. Do not centrifuge. 4. Transfer the cell suspension to the appropriate number of culture flasks (refer to batch-specific information for the recommended culture dilution ratio). 5. Incubate the culture in an atmosphere of 5% CO₂ at 37°C. NOTE: To prevent excessive alkalinity of the medium during cell recovery, it is recommended to place the culture flasks containing the appropriate medium for maintenance and cell growth in the incubator for at least 15 minutes before adding the thawed cells. This allows the culture medium to reach its normal pH range (7.0 to 7.6). |
| References | R. Ian Freshney's book Culture of Animal Cells, 6th edition, published by Alan R. Liss, N.Y., 2010. |
