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Short answer
MC38 is a mouse colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Cellosaurus (accession CVCL_B288) records it as derived from the colon of a female C57BL/6 mouse, and the Cytion catalog lists it as adherent and biosafety level 1. The same line appears in papers as MC-38, MCA-38, MCA38 or Colon 38, and cells sold under the name by different suppliers have been shown to differ.
What is a cell line? (definition and scope)
The National Library of Medicine’s MeSH vocabulary defines a cell line as “established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.” In practice a cell line is a named population of cells that can be kept in culture and shared between laboratories, so that many groups can work with what is meant to be the same material. Registries such as Cellosaurus give each line an accession number, a species, a tissue of origin and, for cancer lines, a disease term.
What does “the cell line” mean in a methods section?
When a paper says “the cell line”, it is pointing to one entry of this kind: a specific named line obtained from a specific source. That is why the name, the accession number and the supplier all matter, and why the name alone is not a complete description.
Cell line definition versus primary cells
The MeSH definition turns on the ability to propagate indefinitely. A cell line is therefore described as an established culture, not as cells freshly taken from a tissue. Other CASRAI guides show the same pattern for human and rat lines, for example the THP-1 cell line and the PC12 cell line.
MC38 identity card
The table lists only attributes stated by Cellosaurus or by the Cytion product page for MC38 cells, both checked on 2026-10-29.
| Attribute | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registry name and accession | MC-38, CVCL_B288 | Cellosaurus |
| Species | Mouse (Mus musculus) | Cellosaurus, Cytion |
| Strain | C57BL/6 | Cellosaurus, Cytion |
| Sex | Female | Cellosaurus, Cytion |
| Derived from | Colon, in situ | Cellosaurus |
| Disease | Mouse colon adenocarcinoma | Cellosaurus |
| Growth mode | Adherent | Cytion |
| Biosafety level | 1 | Cytion |
| Medium listed by the supplier | DMEM with 4.5 g/L glucose, 4 mM L-glutamine, 3.7 g/L NaHCO3 and 1.0 mM sodium pyruvate, supplemented with 10% FBS, 10 mM HEPES and non-essential amino acids | Cytion |
The medium row describes one supplier’s listing for its own stock. Other suppliers may list different culture conditions, so the supplier’s data sheet for the vial in hand is the reference for that vial. Biosafety level 1 is explained in the dictionary entry Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1).
Names and sources that differ
One line, many names
Cellosaurus lists these synonyms for the line: MCA-38, MCA 38, MCA38, MC38, MC-38 B/6, Mouse Colon 38, Murine Carcinoma-38, Colon-38, Colon 38, Colon38 and C38. A search for only one spelling can miss papers that use another, so searching the Cellosaurus accession CVCL_B288 and the synonyms together is more complete. The identifier system that carries such accessions into methods sections is described under RRID (Research Resource Identifier), where cell lines use the CVCL_ prefix.
Cells from different sources are not interchangeable by default
Cellosaurus cites a 2023 Frontiers in Immunology study (PubMed 36969213) that compared MC38 cells from two sources, Kerafast and Leiden University Medical Center. Cellosaurus quotes the authors as reporting “major differences in term of mutations and mRNA expression.” Its short tandem repeat (STR) profile entry also shows that at least one marker differs between suppliers: marker 15-3 is recorded as 22.3 for the Millipore product SCC172 and as 22.3,23.3 for the Ubigene product YC-A002. Cellosaurus further cautions that a mitochondrial genome sequence submitted for an “MCA38” line (PubMed 25434994) is a rat sequence, a reminder to confirm species when identifying a line.
Original publications
Cellosaurus lists these among the line’s references: Corbett et al., 1975, Cancer Research (PubMed 1149045), on transplantable colon cancers in mice; Tan et al., 1976, Journal of the National Cancer Institute (PubMed 1255804), on selective in vitro culture of murine colon adenocarcinomas; and Morimoto-Tomita et al., 2005, Clinical and Experimental Metastasis (PubMed 16320114), on colon carcinoma cells established for a high incidence of experimental hepatic metastasis.
Where it matters for labs: what to record about the line
The checklist below is built from the attributes and differences above. Each item answers a point that the registry or the 2023 comparison shows can vary.
- Registry name and accession. Write “MC38 (CVCL_B288)”, and note any alternative spelling the cited papers use.
- Supplier and catalog number. The same name has been shown to cover cells with different mutation and expression profiles, so the source is part of the identity.
- Species, strain and sex. C57BL/6 and female are recorded for this line.
- STR profile. Cellosaurus lists STR data and shows marker differences between suppliers, so a profile of the cells actually used is a stronger statement than the name.
- Mycoplasma status. Cytion reports its MC38 cells as tested by PCR-based assays and luminescence-based detection with contamination excluded. Record the result for your own stock rather than the supplier’s.
- Culture medium and supplements. State the base medium and additions actually used.
Related CASRAI entries: Authentication of key resources and the NIH Rigor and Reproducibility policy cover the wider practice of authenticating key resources.
Common misunderstandings
- “MC38 and MC-38 are different lines.” Cellosaurus lists both spellings as names for the same entry.
- “A cell line is a standard reagent.” The 2023 comparison cited above found substantial differences between MC38 cells from two sources, so the name alone does not fix the material.
- “A cell line is the same as a tissue sample.” Under the MeSH definition a cell line is an established culture that can propagate indefinitely, not a sample of the original tissue.
- “A cell line identifier is a quality mark.” An accession number identifies an entry in a registry. It does not certify the vial in your freezer.
FAQ
What is a cell line?
A cell line is an established cell culture with the potential to propagate indefinitely (MeSH). It is a named, shareable population that laboratories keep in culture.
What is the cell line definition used in research papers?
Papers use it as a name for one registered culture, ideally with an accession number and a supplier, so another group can obtain the same material.
What is MC38?
A mouse colon adenocarcinoma cell line from a female C57BL/6 mouse, recorded in Cellosaurus as CVCL_B288.
Are all MC38 cell lines the same?
Not necessarily. A 2023 study cited by Cellosaurus compared MC38 cells from two sources and reported major differences in mutations and mRNA expression.
What other names does MC38 go by?
MC-38, MCA-38, MCA38, Colon 38 and the other synonyms listed in the section above.
Sources
All sources checked 2026-10-29.
- Cellosaurus, MC-38 (CVCL_B288): https://www.cellosaurus.org/CVCL_B288
- Cytion, MC38 Cells product page: https://www.cytion.com/us/MC38-Cells/305223
- National Library of Medicine, MeSH descriptor “Cell Line”: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/?term=Cell+Line%5BMeSH+Terms%5D
- Schrors et al., “MC38 colorectal tumor cell lines from two different sources display substantial differences in transcriptome, mutanome and neoantigen expression”, Frontiers in Immunology, 2023: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36969213/ (as cited by Cellosaurus)
