Tanabe,H., Takada,Y., Minegishi,D., Kurematsu,M., Masui,T., and Mizusawa,H. Cell line individualization by STR multiplex system in the cell bank found cross contamination between ECV304 and EJ-1/T24. Tiss. Cult. Res. Commun., 18: 329-338, 1999. Notes: Short tandem repeat (STR) regions represent highly polymorphic micro satellite markers in the human genome that have tandemly repetitive sequence elements of 2 to 7 bp in length as a unit The application of STR regions to population genetics and personal identification has been well studied. Recent technical advances have enabled us to analyze multilocus STR regions simultaneously by a method, called the STR Multiplex system, that uses a single PCR amplification in one tube. We established a new evaluation system for the identification of cell lines based on an STR Multiplex method that uses 9 different loci: D5S81 8. D13S31 7, D7S820, D16S539, vWA. THOI , Amelogenin, TPOX, and CSFIPO The STR profiling data from 96 cell lines were examined and an efficiency of this approach for cell standardization was found. Using this method, we have analyzed the STR profiles of human cell lines. ECV304, EJ-1, and T24, reoently reported by the DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures to have been cross-contaminated. Our results clearly detect the cross-contamination between ECV304 and EJ-1/T24. The cross-contamination was estimated to be derived from the T24 cells. Collectively, the STR Multipiex system provides a rapid, precise, and powerful method in cell line identification for quality control at the JCRB Cell Bank. Reference ID: 5018