Storage and Culture Initiation

Frozen ampules packed in dry ice should either be thawed immediately or stored in liquid nitrogen.  If liquid nitrogen storage facilities are not available, frozen ampoules may be stored at or below -70°C for approximately one week.  Do not under any circumstance store frozen ampules at refrigerator freezer temperatures (generally -20°C).  Storage of frozen material at this temperature will result in the death of the culture.

1. To thaw a frozen ampule, place it in a 35°C water bath such that the lip of the ampule remains above the water line. Thawing time is approximately 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not agitate the ampule.  Do not leave ampule in water bath after thawed.
2. Immediately after thawing, aseptically transfer contents to a T-25 tissue culture flask or 16 x 125 mm plastic test tube containing ATCC medium 1021 (10 ml completed medium in a flask, 5 ml completed medium in a test tube).
3. Screw the cap on tightly and incubate the tube or flask at 20-25°C (incubate test tubes at a 15° horizontal slant).

1. When the culture is at or near peak density, vigorously agitate the culture.
2. Transfer approximately 0.25 ml to a fresh tube or flask containing ATCC medium 1021 (10 ml completed medium in a flask, 5 ml completed medium in a test tube). 
3. Screw the cap on tightly and incubate at 20-25°C (incubate test tubes at a 15° horizontal slant).
4. The amoebae will form an almost continuous sheet of cells on the bottom surface of the flask or test tube.  Repeat steps 1-3 at 10-14 d intervals.

1. To achieve the best results set up cultures with several different inocula (e.g. 0.25 ml, 0.5 ml, 1.0 ml).  Harvest cultures and pool when the culture that received the lowest inoculum is at or near peak density.
2. If the cell concentration exceeds the required level do not centrifuge, but adjust the concentration to between 2 x 10⁶ and 2 x 10⁷cysts/ml with fresh medium.  If the concentration is too low, centrifuge at 600 x g for 5 min and resuspend the pellet in the volume of fresh medium required to yield the desired concentration.
3. While cells are centrifuging prepare a 15% (v/v) solution of sterile DMSO as follows:  Add the required volume of DMSO to a glass screw-capped test tube and place it in an ice bath.  Allow the DMSO to solidify.  Add the required volume of refrigerated medium.  Dissolve the DMSO by inverting the tube several times.
   *NOTE: If the DMSO solution is not prepared on ice, an exothermic reaction will occur that may precipitate certain components of the medium.
4. Mix the cell preparation and the DMSO in equal portions. Thus, the final concentration will be between 10⁶ and 10⁷ cells/ml and 7.5% (v/v) DMSO. The time from the mixing of the cell preparation and DMSO stock solution before the freezing process is begun should be no less than 15 min and no longer than 30 min.
5. Dispense in 0.5 ml aliquots into 1.0 - 2.0 ml sterile plastic screw-capped cryules (special plastic vials for cryopreservation).
6. Place the vials in a controlled rate freezing unit.  From room temperature cool at -1°C/min to -40°C.  If the freezing unit can compensate for the heat of fusion, maintain rate at        -1°C/min through the heat of fusion.  At -40°C plunge into liquid nitrogen. Alternatively, place the vials in a Nalgene 1°C freezing apparatus.  Place the apparatus at -80°C for 1.5 to 2 hours and then plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen.  (The cooling rate in this apparatus is approximately -1°C/min.)  
7. The frozen preparations are stored in either the vapor or liquid phase of a nitrogen freezer.
8. To establish a culture from the frozen state place an ampule in a water bath set at 35°C (2-3 min). Immerse the vial just sufficient to cover the frozen material. Do not agitate the vial.
9. Immediately after thawing, aseptically remove the contents of the ampule and inoculate into 10 ml of fresh ATCC medium 1021 in a T-25 tissue culture flask or 5 ml fresh ATCC medium 1021 in a 16 x 125 mm screw-capped plastic test tube.  Incubate at 20-25°C (incubate test tubes at a 15° horizontal slant).

The product is provided 'AS IS' and the viability of ATCC^® products is warranted for 30 days from the date of shipment, provided that the customer has stored and handled the product according to the information included on the product information sheet, website, and Certificate of Analysis. For living cultures, ATCC lists the media formulation and reagents that have been found to be effective for the product. While other unspecified media and reagents may also produce satisfactory results, a change in the ATCC and/or depositor-recommended protocols may affect the recovery, growth, and/or function of the product. If an alternative medium formulation or reagent is used, the ATCC warranty for viability is no longer valid.  Except as expressly set forth herein, no other warranties of any kind are provided, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, manufacture according to cGMP standards, typicality, safety, accuracy, and/or noninfringement.

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