Description: MCC13 is a merkel cell carcinoma cell line; it was established from a metastatic cervical node. The 80 year old female patient had biopsy confirmed merkel cell carcinoma from a lesion on the nose one month earlier.

Description Key Words: Human merkel cell carcinoma

Also Known As: No other names

Organism: Human (Homo sapiens)

Strain: N/A

Tissue: Skin

Growth Properties: Adherent

Morphology: Large low contrast cells

Growth Medium: RPMI 1640 (with 2mM L-Glutamine + 25mM Hepes) + 15% Foetal Calf Serum (FCS)

Resuscitation: Remove protective cryoflex layer around the ampoule prior to thawing. Thaw the ampoule by gently agitating in a 37°C waterbath; thawing should be rapid (around 2 minutes). A centrifugation step to remove the cryoprotectant after thawing is necessary for this cell line.

Subculturing Procedure:

Medium Renewal: 2-3 times per week.

Subcultivation Ratio: 1:8 Seeding density 0.8 x10⁴cells/cm². Split subconfluent cultures (70-80%). Harvest the cells using 0.05% Trypsin/EDTA at 37°C for 5 minutes.

Culture Conditions: Incubate the culture at 37°C with 5% CO₂.

Cryoprotectant Medium: 10% DMSO + 90% FCS

Handling Procedure for Frozen Cells: Upon receipt, frozen ampoules should be transferred directly to liquid nitrogen storage without delay, if not to be used immediately. Storage at -80°C may result in loss of viability.

Depositor: Helen Leonard – Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia

References:

Original Reference:

Leonard, J.H., Dash, P., Holland,.P., Kearsley, J.H. and Bell, J.R.

Characterization of Merkel cell carcinoma adherent cell lines.

Int. J Cancer, 60: 100-107, 1995.

PubMed 7814141

Other References:

Leonard J.H.”, Ramsay, J.R., Kearsley, J.H. and Birrell, G.W. Radiation sensitivity of Merkel cell carcinoma cell lines. Int. J. Rad. Oncol. Biol. Phys., 32: 1401-1407, 1995.

Leonard, J.H, Cook, A.L, Van Gele, M, Boyle, G.M, Inglis, K.J, Speleman, F., and Sturm, R.A.  Proneural and Proneuroendocrine Transcription Factor Expression In Cutaneous Mechanoreceptor (Merkel) Cells and Merkel Cell Carcinoma.  Int J Cancer, 2002; 101: 103B110.

K. M. Garneski, A. H. Warcola,, J. H. Leonard, Paul Nghiem.  Merkel cell polyomavirus is more frequently present in North American than Australian Merkel cell carcinoma tumors.  J. Invest Dermatol. 2009 Jan;129(1):246-8.

Cellosaurus: CVCL_2583