Fibroblast cell lines are established, continuous cultures of fibroblast cells derived from various sources. Fibroblasts are a type of connective tissue cell responsible for producing and maintaining the extracellular matrix in various tissues. Fibroblast cell lines serve as valuable tools for researchers to study various biological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, wound healing, and tissue repair. They can also be used as models to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases that involve fibroblasts, such as fibrosis and cancer.
Some commonly used fibroblast cell lines include:
- BJ cell line: The BJ cell line is derived from normal human foreskin fibroblasts. It is a diploid cell line, meaning it retains the normal human chromosome number, and is widely used in studies of cell biology, aging, and senescence.
- WI-38 cell line: The WI-38 cell line is derived from normal human lung fibroblasts obtained from a female fetus. This diploid cell line has been used extensively in research on cell aging, senescence, and the development of human vaccines.
- IMR-90 cell line: The IMR-90 cell line is also derived from normal human lung fibroblasts, obtained from a male fetus. Like WI-38, IMR-90 is a diploid cell line and has been used in research on aging, senescence, and the response to various stressors.
- CCD cell lines: CCD (Cultured human Dermal fibroblasts) cell lines are derived from various human tissues, such as skin (CCD-1064Sk), lung (CCD-19Lu), and oral mucosa (CCD-18Co). These cell lines are used to study tissue-specific fibroblast functions, wound healing, and the response to various treatments or stressors.
- L929 cell line: The L929 cell line is derived from mouse fibroblasts but is included here because it is widely used in research and assay development, including cytotoxicity testing, viral susceptibility, and immune response studies.
Human fibroblast cell lines provide valuable insights into the complex interplay of cellular processes, signaling pathways, and the extracellular matrix in health and disease. They can also be genetically manipulated, such as through CRISPR/Cas9 technology, to study the function of specific genes or pathways in the context of fibroblast biology.