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Short answer: MCF-7 (also written MCF7) is a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, derived from a pleural effusion of a 69-year-old female donor and catalogued by ATCC as HTB-22. It grows as an adherent epithelial line, expresses the estrogen receptor, and is among the most widely used lines in breast cancer research. Confirm its identity by name, synonyms and STR profile, not by name alone.
Definition and scope: what is a cell line?
Cell line definition
A cell line is a population of cells, taken originally from a tissue or tumor, that has been grown in culture and can be propagated and stored for repeated use. Because every vial descends from the same origin, different laboratories can work with the same biological material. That is the reason lines are named and catalogued, and it is also why a wrong name or a mixed-up vial matters: results are only comparable when the line is the one the paper says it is. Sibling profiles on this site, such as CT26, K562 and HepG2, follow the same origin-identity-culture pattern. For general technique, see the cell culture basics guide.
What is the MCF-7 cell line?
The ATCC catalog entry HTB-22 describes MCF-7 as human, epithelial, from the breast (mammary gland), with a disease type of adenocarcinoma. The donor was a 69-year-old female, and the cells were taken from a metastatic site, a pleural effusion. Cellosaurus (CVCL_0031) classifies the line as invasive breast carcinoma of no special type and describes it as the first hormone-responsive breast cancer cell line. The name is an abbreviation: Cellosaurus lists the synonyms MCF 7, MCF.7, MCF7 and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7.
How MCF-7 is used and what defines it
ATCC states that the cells express the estrogen receptor and can process estradiol through cytoplasmic estrogen receptors; it also lists expression of WNT7B and growth inhibition by tumor necrosis factor alpha. These properties are why the line is a common hormone-responsive breast cancer model. Cellosaurus adds genomic detail: a heterozygous PIK3CA p.Glu545Lys mutation, a homozygous CDKN2A deletion, a heterozygous GATA3 frameshift, no reported TP53 mutation, and microsatellite stability.
In culture the cells grow as loosely attached three-dimensional clusters with some floating viable cells, according to ATCC.
Culture conditions published by ATCC
The table lists the HTB-22 product sheet conditions only. Treat them as the supplier’s starting point and follow the sheet that ships with your vial. For passaging mechanics see the cell passaging guide.
| Parameter | ATCC HTB-22 specification |
|---|---|
| Base medium | ATCC-formulated Eagle’s Minimum Essential Medium (30-2003) |
| Supplements | 1.4 mL human recombinant insulin (zinc, 4 mg/mL stock) and fetal bovine serum to 10% |
| Atmosphere and temperature | 37 C, 95% air and 5% CO2 |
| Subculture ratio | 1:3 to 1:6 |
| Seeding density | 4.0 x 104 to 1.0 x 105 viable cells/cm2 |
| Medium renewal | 2 to 3 times per week |
| Time to 80% confluence | 6 to 12 days |
| Freezing medium | Complete growth medium with 5% DMSO |
Biosafety classification should be taken from your supplier’s documentation and confirmed with your institutional biosafety committee.
Where it matters for labs: identity and authentication
Checklist: what to confirm before you rely on a vial
- Name and synonyms. Search catalogs and papers under MCF-7, MCF7 and MCF 7. Cellosaurus notes that the misspellings MFC-7 and MFC7 also occur, so search under all spellings.
- Species and tissue. Human, breast, adenocarcinoma, female donor.
- STR profile. Cellosaurus lists, among others: Amelogenin X; CSF1PO 10; D5S818 11,12; D7S820 8,9; D13S317 11; D16S539 11,12; TH01 6; TPOX 9,12; vWA 14,15; D21S11 30; FGA 23,25 (some sources report 23,24,25). ATCC publishes matching values for TH01, D21S11 and FGA.
- Karyotype. ATCC reports a modal chromosome number of 82, with a range of 66 to 87.
- Contamination. ATCC reports mycoplasma, bacteria and fungi not detected on its lot; test your own stocks too. See cell culture contamination and mycoplasma testing methods.
- Authentication record. Record the source, passage and profile in your methods; see authentication of key resources.
Doubling time: one line, several numbers
ATCC gives an approximate doubling time of 29 hours. Cellosaurus records that published values vary widely, from 24 to 80 hours, with DSMZ reporting about 50 hours (range 30 to 72) and NCI-DCTD reporting 25.4 hours. The spread means a single figure should not be copied into a protocol: measure doubling time in your own medium, at your own passage, before planning seeding densities or assay timing.
Common misunderstandings
- Misunderstanding: MCF7 and MCF-7 are different lines. They are one line written two ways; MFC-7 is a misspelling.
- Misunderstanding: the doubling time is a fixed property. The sources above show it is reported anywhere from 24 to 80 hours.
- Misunderstanding: a catalog name proves identity. Identity is shown by a profile such as STR matched against a reference, which is why the checklist above leads with more than the name.
FAQ
What is a cell line?
A population of cells from a tissue or tumor that has been grown in culture and can be propagated and stored for repeated use, so many labs can work with the same biological material.
What is the definition of a cell line, and what are cell lines used for?
The definition is the same as above: a named, catalogued culture derived from one origin. Cell lines such as MCF-7 give researchers a reproducible biological model, provided the identity of the stock is confirmed.
What is the cell line MCF7?
A human breast adenocarcinoma line (ATCC HTB-22) from a pleural effusion of a 69-year-old female donor, expressing the estrogen receptor.
Is cell line MCF7 the same as MCF-7?
Yes. Cellosaurus lists MCF7, MCF-7, MCF 7 and MCF.7 as synonyms of the same line, under accession CVCL_0031.
Sources
- ATCC, MCF-7 (HTB-22) product sheet, https://www.atcc.org/products/htb-22, checked 2026-10-29.
- Cellosaurus, MCF-7 (CVCL_0031), https://www.cellosaurus.org/CVCL_0031, checked 2026-10-29.
