What are the best practices in cell culture?

The best practices in cell culture include a combination of guidelines specific to tissue culture and general guidelines that apply to all laboratory procedures. Following these best practices ensures healthy and reproducible cell cultures:

• Label all flasks and ampoules correctly with the contents and preparation date. 
• Handle only one cell line at a time to prevent accidental cross-contamination. 
• Maintain separate media bottles for each cell line in culture. 
• Keep all containers tightly closed to prevent the spread of bacteria and mycoplasma through the air across multiple open media bottles. 
• Test cells regularly for the presence of mycoplasma. 
• Examine cultures and media (including commercially-purchased media) every day for signs of gross bacterial or fungal contamination. 
• Clean and service centrifuges, incubators, microscopes, and cabinets regularly to prevent contamination. 
• Between operations, clean and disinfect all work surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant such as 70% alcohol. 
• Keep all cell culture areas free of cardboard packaging or at least keep cardboard packing to a minimum. 
• Keep work surfaces clutter-free.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times. This includes a gloves, lab coat, eye protection, and head cap for all experiments and full-face visor, thermally-insulated gloves and splash-proof apron when handling liquid nitrogen.