Cellosaurus logo
expasy logo

Cellosaurus publication CLPUB00499

Publication number CLPUB00499
Authors Beiswanger C.M.
Title A brief history of IMR-90.
Citation Cell Collections 2004:5-6(2004)
Web pages https://www.coriell.org/0/PDF/IPBIR/CCRNews.pdf_4.pdf
Abstract In 1975, the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, under contract to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to establish and maintain an Aging Cell Repository, was directed to establish and bank for future research a new human diploid cell line as a replacement for the cell line known as WI-38. WI-38 had been established and characterized in the early 1960's as a standard (reference cell line) in the burgeoning field of cell biology; but in the early 70's, the NIH stock of low passage WI-38 cells had become seriously depleted. The cell line developed at Coriell, identified as IMR-90, was the first of several lines planned in support of NIA research programs and general cell biology research. IMR-90 was developed and characterized in such a way as to parallel WI-38 as closely as possible to minimize the variables in replacing WI-38 within ongoing laboratory programs. Extensive frozen stocks of IMR-90 at various passages were laid down to ensure future resources for cell biology research. The IMR-90 cell line, like WI-38, was derived from lung tissue of a human female embryo following therapeutic abortion.
Cell lines CVCL_0347; IMR-90