What may be the cause of poor cell growth and attachment?
Many factors which could contribute to poor cell growth and attachment including the type of cell, the age and condition of the culture, culture environment, nutrients, toxins, cell culture protocols, handling and selection of an appropriate surface. The “age” of the cell line or the “passage number” are important parameters to remember when culturing cells. Passage number refers to the number of times the cells have been subcultured. Some cell lines may exhibit morphological changes after several passages. As a cultured population ages, its population doubling time progressively increases until proliferation eventually ceases. In addition, spontaneous cellular transformation may occur with extended time in culture. Cell culture procedures such as trypsinization can damage cell membranes resulting in poor attachment, clumping or “ragged” looking membranes. Prolonged cultures may result in the buildup of toxins or the depletion of nutrients. Slight changes in culturing conditions (mediu
