MDBK (NBL-1) Cells

Name: CLS Cell Lines Service GmbH
Address: Dr.-Eckener-Straße 8, Eppelheim, 69214, DE
Telephone: +496221405780
Price range: €€€

CAD$545.10*

Products are shipped frozen on dry ice in cryotubes. Each cryotube typically contains 3 × 10⁶ cells for adherent lines or 5 × 10⁶ cells for suspension lines (refer to the batch CoA for details).

Prices excl. taxes plus shipping costs

cryovial

Product number: 600396

Safety data sheet

Product sheet

Certificate of Analysis (CoA)

Description	MDBK cells, short for Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney cells (also known as NBL-1), are an exceptional biological resource derived from the kidneys of apparently healthy adult Bos taurus, specifically male individuals. These cells grow adherently and possess an epithelial-like morphology. One of the remarkable applications of MDBK cells lies in their ability to facilitate in vitro studies on the expression of Eimeria bovis-derived antigens on the host cell surface membrane. Additionally, MDBK cells have been employed in investigations centred around the ubiquitination and degradation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 and 2 (STAT1 and STAT2) by the V proteins of paramyxoviruses, such as simian virus five and human parainfluenza virus type 2. With an average doubling time ranging from 24 to 35 hours, MDBK cells exhibit a moderate proliferation rate. The establishment of the MDBK cell line dates back to February 18, 1957, when S.H. Madin and N.B. Darby successfully derived it from the kidney of a healthy adult steer. Since then, these cells have become a cornerstone in biological research, enabling numerous breakthroughs in various scientific fields. The karyotype analysis of MDBK cells reveals a modal chromosome number of 51, indicating a hypodiploid state. Within the cell population, the hypodiploid condition manifests as a stemline chromosome number of 2n = 60, with a 2S component occurring in approximately 5% of the cells. Moreover, 11-14 marker chromosomes are typically present, comprising a combination of metacentric, submetacentric, and acro-telocentric chromosomes. Notably, the x chromosome appears monosomic, while no HSR chromosomes or DM's (double minutes) are observed. MDBK cells exhibit an array of applications in the realm of biological research. Their utility extends to 3D cell culture, enabling scientists to recreate complex tissue-like structures for advanced studies. Furthermore, MDBK cells are invaluable in high-throughput screening, facilitating the rapid and efficient screening of compounds or agents for various purposes. Additionally, these cells play a crucial role in toxicology studies, essential for evaluating the safety and potential adverse effects of substances on living organisms. Regarding viral susceptibility, MDBK cells demonstrate receptiveness to several pathogens, including Vesicular stomatitis Orsay (Indiana) virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine parvovirus, bovine adenovirus 2 and 3, bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1, and parainfluenza three virus. This susceptibility to a diverse range of viruses makes MDBK cells invaluable for investigating viral pathogenesis and evaluating antiviral strategies.
Organism	Bovine
Tissue	Kidney
Synonyms	MDBK (NBL-1), NBL-1, Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney, Madin Darby Bovine Kidney

Breed/Subspecies	Bos taurus
Age	Adult
Gender	Male
Morphology	Epithelial-like
Growth properties	Monolayer, adherent

Citation	MDBK (NBL-1) (Cytion catalog number 600396)
Biosafety level	1
NCBI_TaxID	9913
CellosaurusAccession	CVCL_0421

Viruses	The line was tested and shown to be free of bovine diarrhoea virus (BVD).
Virus susceptibility	The cells are susceptibled to bovine diarrhea virus, vesicular stomatitis (Indiana strain), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine parvovirus, bovine adenovirus I and III, and parainfluenza virus 3.
Virus resistance	Poliovirus 2
Reverse transcriptase	Negative
Products	Keratin

Culture Medium	EMEM (MEM Eagle), w: 2 mM L-Glutamine, w: 2.2 g/L NaHCO3, w: EBSS (Cytion article number 820100a)
Supplements	Supplement the medium with 10% FBS and 1% NEAA
Dissociation Reagent	Accutase
Subculturing	Remove the old medium from the adherent cells and wash them with PBS that lacks calcium and magnesium. For T25 flasks, use 3-5 ml of PBS, and for T75 flasks, use 5-10 ml. Then, cover the cells completely with Accutase, using 1-2 ml for T25 flasks and 2.5 ml for T75 flasks. Let the cells incubate at room temperature for 8-10 minutes to detach them. After incubation, gently mix the cells with 10 ml of medium to resuspend them, then centrifuge at 300xg for 3 minutes. Discard the supernatant, resuspend the cells in fresh medium, and transfer them into new flasks that already contain fresh medium.
Seeding density	1 x 10⁴ cells/cm²
Fluid renewal	Every 3 days
Post-Thaw Recovery	Fast
Freeze medium	As a cryopreservation medium, we use complete growth medium (including FBS) + 10% DMSO for adequate post-thaw viability, or CM-1 (Cytion catalog number 800100), which includes optimized osmoprotectants and metabolic stabilizers to enhance recovery and reduce cryo-induced stress.
Thawing and Culturing Cells	Confirm that the vial remains deeply frozen upon delivery, as cells are shipped on dry ice to maintain optimal temperatures during transit. Upon receipt, either store the cryovial immediately at temperatures below -150°C to ensure the preservation of cellular integrity, or proceed to step 3 if immediate culturing is required. For immediate culturing, swiftly thaw the vial by immersing it in a 37°C water bath with clean water and an antimicrobial agent, agitating gently for 40-60 seconds until a small ice clump remains. Perform all subsequent steps under sterile conditions in a flow hood, disinfecting the cryovial with 70% ethanol before opening. Carefully open the disinfected vial and transfer the cell suspension into a 15 ml centrifuge tube containing 8 ml of room-temperature culture medium, mixing gently. Centrifuge the mixture at 300 x g for 3 minutes to separate the cells and carefully discard the supernatant containing residual freezing medium. Gently resuspend the cell pellet in 10 ml of fresh culture medium. For adherent cells, divide the suspension between two T25 culture flasks; for suspension cultures, transfer all the medium into one T25 flask to promote effective cell interaction and growth. Adhere to established subculture protocols for continued growth and maintenance of the cell line, ensuring reliable experimental outcomes.
Incubation Atmosphere	37°C, 5% CO₂, humidified atmosphere.
Shipping Conditions	Cryopreserved cell lines are shipped on dry ice in validated, insulated packaging with sufficient refrigerant to maintain approximately −78 °C throughout transit. On receipt, inspect the container immediately and transfer vials without delay to appropriate storage.
Storage Conditions	For long-term preservation, place vials in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen at about −150 to −196 °C. Storage at −80 °C is acceptable only as a short interim step before transfer to liquid nitrogen.

Sterility	Mycoplasma contamination is excluded using both PCR-based assays and luminescence-based mycoplasma detection methods. To ensure there is no bacterial, fungal, or yeast contamination, cell cultures are subjected to daily visual inspections.

Lot Number	Certificate Type	Date	Catalog Number
600396-090123	Certificate of Analysis	21. Jul. 2025	600396

MDBK (NBL-1) Cells

General information

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Regulatory Data

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Quality Control & Molecular Analysis

Certificate of Analysis (CoA)