Cellosaurus

Cellosaurus

The Cellosaurus is a comprehensive knowledge resource for information on cell lines. It is a database that provides detailed information about cell lines used in biomedical research. The Cellosaurus is an essential tool for researchers in the fields of cell biology, genomics, and cancer research, among others.

Overview

The Cellosaurus was developed to address the need for a centralized repository of information on cell lines. It is maintained by the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) and is freely accessible to the scientific community. The database includes information on over 140,000 cell lines, covering a wide range of species, including human, mouse, rat, and many others.

Features

The Cellosaurus provides a wealth of information about each cell line, including:

• Name and Synonyms: The official name of the cell line and any known synonyms.
• Species of Origin: The species from which the cell line was derived.
• Tissue of Origin: The specific tissue or organ from which the cell line was derived.
• Disease Association: Any diseases associated with the cell line, particularly in the context of cancer research.
• Genetic Information: Details about the genetic characteristics of the cell line, including mutations and genetic markers.
• Publications: References to scientific publications that have used the cell line.
• Cross-references: Links to other databases and resources that provide additional information about the cell line.

Importance in Research

Cell lines are crucial tools in biomedical research. They provide a consistent and renewable source of biological material for experiments. The Cellosaurus helps researchers select appropriate cell lines for their studies by providing detailed and reliable information. This is particularly important in cancer research, where the choice of cell line can significantly impact the results and conclusions of a study.

Challenges and Limitations

While the Cellosaurus is an invaluable resource, there are challenges associated with the use of cell lines in research. These include issues of cell line authentication, contamination, and genetic drift. The Cellosaurus addresses some of these challenges by providing information on the authentication status of cell lines and highlighting known issues with specific lines.

Also see

• Cell line authentication
• Cancer research
• Genomics
• Biomedical research