The T-1 is a human kidney fibroblast cell that originated from a surgical sample circa 1958. The cell line has adapted for in vitro growth and is currently described as an immortal cell line having a modal chromosome number of sixty-four. In addition to providing cells for use in other protocols, an important component of our tissue culture work was the determination of a baseline growth curve and the calculation of doubling time for the cell line. Extreme care was taken to use sterile technique during all of the tissue culture work. Much of the work was performed under Laminar flow hoods.
Sterile technique is required to maintain the viability of the cells.
Viability is essential so that these cells may be used in other protocols. During the ten day period over which the growth curve data was collected, the cells were maintained at thirty-seven degrees centigrade with five percent carbon dioxide. To establish the growth curve for the T-1 cell line in our laboratory, thirty 35mm dishes were seeded from a stock flask. The cells in these dishes were counted at intervals over a 220 hour period. Each student performed an AM and a PM count each day using two dishes for each count and spent media.