A non-exhaustive list of misidentified or cross-contaminated cell lines.

            Examination of the current scientific literature indicates that a large percentage of papers reporting on experimental cancer research use human cell lines. Indeed, cell lines are expected to provide an unlimited source of specific self-replicating material, free of contaminating cells, and often easily cultured in simple standard media. Alas, since the establishment of the first cancer cell lines, problems with misidentification and cross-contamination have occurred and seriously compromised research. These problems were regularly brought to light during the past decades, but have received few audience until cell banks (American Tissue Culture Collection -ATCC-; Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen -DSMZ-; European Collection of Cell cultures -ECACC; Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources -JCRB-) decided to act by informing their clients or even by withdrawing the « false » cell lines from their catalogue.

            Various recent studies have shown that between 18% and 36% of cell lines were incorrectly designated. It is likely that new false cell lines continue to be established without the knowledge of their originators. At the same time, detection of false cell lines is rendered increasingly difficult as numbers and varieties of circulating cell lines increase. Even more worrisome is the fact that many cell lines that have been proven « false », sometimes since years, are still used by researchers who seem to ignore their true identity. Or who act as if they were ignoring it...

            This is notably illustrated by Table I, which presents a non-exhaustive list of misidentified or cross-contaminated cell lines that have been recently cited by scientists apparently not aware of their exact identity. A significant part of these cell lines have been contaminated with HeLa cells, which, indeed, are frequently used in the laboratories, are robust, and multiply rapidly.

Cell line	Putative origin	True identity
Chang Liver	Liver cells	HeLa cells (glandular cancer of the cervix)
Girardi Heart	Atrial myoblast cells	HeLa cells
Hep-2 (or Hep2)	Larynx carcinoma cells	HeLa cells
INT407 (or INT-407, or Intestine 407)	Embryonic intestine cells	HeLa cells
J111	Monocytic leukemia cells	HeLa cells
KB	Oral epidermoid carcinoma cells	HeLa cells
L132	Embryonic lung epithelium cells	HeLa cells
MT-1 (or MT1)	Breast cancer cells	HeLa cells
NCTC2544	Skin epithelium cells (keratinocytes)	HeLa cells
WISH	Amnion cells	HeLa cells
Wong-Kilbourne	Conjunctiva-derived cells	HeLa cells
RPMI-8402 (or RPMI8402)	T cell leukemia	Unknown
IM-9 (or IM9)	Multiple myeloma cells	Epstein-Barr virus-transfected B cell lymphoblastoid line
HBL-100 (or HBL100)	Breast transformed but non-tumorigenic cells	Unknown, and not female (found to contain Y chromosome)
TSU-Pr1 (or TSUPr1)	Prostate cancer cells	T24 cells (bladder cancer)
ECV-304 (or ECV304)	“Spontaneously transformed” umbilical cord endothelial cells	T24 cells
EJ138	Bladder cancer cells	T24 cells
EJ-1 (or EJ1)	Bladder cancer cells	T24 cells
PPC-1 (or PPC1)	Prostate cancer cells	PC-3 cells (prostate cancer)
ALVA-31 (or ALVA31)	Prostate cancer cells	PC-3 cells
ALVA-41 (or ALVA41)	Prostate cancer cells	PC-3 cells
SK-N-MC	Neuroblastoma cells	Ewing family tumor cells
DAMI	Megakaryocyte	HEL cells (erythroleukemia)
HS-Sultan	Plasma cell line (multiple myeloma)	Jijoye cells (Burkitt's lymphoma)
ARH-77 (or ARH77)	Plasma cells from a multiple myeloma patient	Epstein-Barr virus-transfected B cell lymphoblastoid line
WiDr	Colon cancer cells	HT-29 cells (colon carcinoma)
SNB-19 (or SNB19)	Glioblastoma cells	U-373MG cells (glioblastoma)
U251	Glioblastoma cells	U-373MG cells
MCF-7ADR (re-designated NCI/ADR-RES)	Breast cancer cells	OVCAR-8 cells (ovarian cancer)
MDA-MB-435 (or MDA-MB-435S, or MDA-MB435, or MDA-435)	Breast cancer cells	M14 cells (melanoma)

Source: Persistent use of "false" cell lines. Lacroix M. Int J Cancer. 2008 Jan 1;122(1):1-4