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Mycoplasma contamination

Mycoplasma is one of the most prevalent but also elusive contaminants in cell culture laboratories. Myocplasma is a prokaryotic microorganism that is a highly infectious parasitic bacterium, known to infect a variety of different host organisms, that can contaminate cell and virus cultures. Contamination can be transferred by laboratory personnel, particulates, other contaminated cultures and inadequate sterile technique. It has been estimated that between 15-35% of all continuously culture cell lines are contaminated with mycoplasma.

Mycoplasma contamination impacts on the host cells metabolism, growth, protein synthesis, cytokine secretion and can result in damage to DNA and RNA. Such a contamination that causes biochemical, immunological and cell signalling behavioural changes to your cells in culture has a profound influence on the reliability, reproducibility and accuracy of your results. Therefore, a mycoplasma-free cell culture environment is essential for reliable experimental results and for safe cell-derived products.