NB-4 Cells
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).
Introduction to the NB-4 cell line
| Description | NB-4 cells are a human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line established from the bone marrow of a patient experiencing the second relapse of acute promyelocytic leukemia. This cell line is characterized by the presence of the t(15;17) chromosomal translocation, which results in the PML-RARα fusion gene, a hallmark of APL. The NB4 cell line serves as a pivotal model for studying the pathogenesis of APL and the mechanisms of action of therapeutic agents inducing differentiation such as retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). As a promyelocytic leukemia cell line, NB-4 cells exhibit an aberrant pattern of differentiation that is characteristic of APL. This aberrancy provides a unique window into the cellular mechanisms underlying leukemia progression and the potential for therapeutic intervention. The ability of NB-4 cells to undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death, upon exposure to certain chemotherapeutic agents or differentiation inducers like retinoic acid, makes them an invaluable tool for studying cell apoptosis in the context of leukemia. The NB-4 cell line also demonstrates bilineage potential, highlighting its ability to differentiate along multiple hematopoietic lineages under specific conditions. In conclusion, the NB-4 cell line, with its unique properties and responsiveness to differentiation inducers like retinoic acid, continues to be a pivotal resource for researchers delving into the intricacies of promyelocytic leukemia and the broader field of oncology. |
|---|---|
| Organism | Human |
| Tissue | Bone marrow |
| Disease | Acute promyelocytic leukemia |
| Synonyms | NB4, NB.4 |
Characteristics
| Age | 23 years |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Morphology | Round cells |
| Cell type | B lymphocyte |
| Growth properties | Suspension |
Identifiers / Biosafety / Citation
| Citation | NB-4 (Cytion catalog number 300299) |
|---|---|
| Biosafety level | 1 |
| NCBI_TaxID | 9606 |
| CellosaurusAccession | CVCL_0005 |
Genetic makeup of the promyelocytic leukemia NB4 cell line
| Antigen expression | CD4+, CD14-, CD36- |
|---|---|
| Reverse transcriptase | Negative |
| Karyotype | T(15,17) (q22,q11-12) translocation |
Culturing guidelines
| Culture Medium | RPMI 1640, w: 2.0 mM stable Glutamine, w: 2.0 g/L NaHCO3 (Cytion article number 820700a) |
|---|---|
| Supplements | Supplement the medium with 10% FBS |
| Doubling time | 35 to 40 hours |
| Subculturing | Maintain cultures by periodically adding or replacing the medium. Initiate cultures with a density of 5 x 105 cells/ml and keep the cell concentration within the range of 3 x 105 to 1 x 106 cells/ml for optimal growth. |
| 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 |
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| 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. |
Quality assurance of NB4 cells
| 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. |
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Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
| Lot Number | Certificate Type | Date | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300299-110725 | Certificate of Analysis | 18. Aug. 2025 | 300299 |
| 300299-060923 | Certificate of Analysis | 23. May. 2025 | 300299 |