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.