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Authenticating Cells Out of Curiosity, Not Fear

Scientific American - Posted: November 26th, 2012, 7:54am EST

[caption id=attachment_4879 align=alignright width=336 caption=Interior of an incubator showing cells growing in culture flasks, petri dishes, and microtiter plates.] [/caption]Cell lines are standard tools in biomedical research, and yet when it comes to their genetic identity, they are remarkably unstable. That volatility comes with their defining trait--immortality. Over time, cells accumulate mutations that may ultimately change the structure of chromosomes and alter cellular functions. a href=http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=authenticating-cells-out-of-curiosity-not-fear[More]/a

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