Bioluminescent Cell Lines
- Overview
- Product selection tables and culturing information
- Blood cancer cell lines
- Brain oncology cell lines
- Breast cancer cell lines
- Colorectal oncology cell lines
- Fibrosarcoma cell lines
- Liver oncology cell lines
- Lung cancer cell lines
- Melanoma cell lines
- Ovarian cancer cell lines
- Pancreatic cancer cell lines
- Prostate cancer cell lines
- Lentiviral particles for creating your own bioluminescent cells
- Substrates
- Protocols
- Citations
Overview
Our bioluminescent oncology cell lines (also known as Bioware® Brite cell lines) are stably transfected with the firefly luciferase reporter gene from Luciola Italica (Red-Fluc) that allows you to visualize the growth of the cells in vivo. Once the cell lines are injected into an appropriate mouse mode,subsequent expression of the optimized Red-Fluc luciferase gene allows you to to monitor early tumor development, monitor tumor growth and metastases even in deep tissue, quantify tumor burden in a whole animal model, and follow therapeutic responses non-invasively. PerkinElmer currently offers oncology cell lines covering a range of cancer models including breast, colorectal, prostate, lung, and lymphoma.
- Bioware Brite cell lines contain the brighter, red-shifted Red- Fluc reporter gene and are bright enough to measure tumor growth in deep tissues, well before the tumors are palpable, allowing you to start collecting data at time points and tissue depths not possible with traditional micrometer measurements.
- Bioware Brite Ultra Green are dual-labeled cell lines expressing Red-Fluc luciferase and GFP green fluorescent protein (allowing you to monitor tumor growth in vivo with luciferase and ex vivo (in analyses such as immunohistochemistry) with the fluorescent protein. PerkinElmer currently offers dual labeled cell lines in breast and prostate cancer models.

Figure 1: 1 million HT1080-Red-FLuc cells were injected subcutaneously into the dorsal region near the thigh of female nu/nu mouse. Tumor growth was monitored for luciferase expression using the PerkinElmer IVIS® Spectrum at various time points. Mice were imaged 10 minutes post i.p. injection of luciferin at 150mg/kg at various time points. The image above shows tumor growth from a representative mouse.
All our cell lines meet the highest standards and are confirmed pathogen-free. The in vitro growth rates of these cell lines are similar to their parental lines and the stability of reporter expression is tested for a minimum of four weeks.
We also provide a wide range of bioluminescent pathogenic bacteria (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative) that can be used for drug discovery both in vitro and in vivo (including biofilm models) when used with our imaging systems. These light-producing microorganisms have been shown to work in a variety of acute and chronic infection models including pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and biofilm infections.
Product selection table and culturing information
Blood cancer cell lines
Cell line | Reporter type
| Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
K-562-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) | • Orthotopic tumor model (Intracerebral implantation) | RPMI 1640 (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2001) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS
| Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124735 |
Brain oncology
Cell line | Reporter type
| Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
GL261-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Mouse: Glioma | Monitor mouse glioma xenograft non-invasively in real time | DMEM (ATCC cat#: 30-2002) with 10% FBS. Selection Marker: 100 ug/ml G418 | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW134246 |
U-87 MG-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: glioblastoma; Brain | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Orthotopic tumor model (Intracerebral implantation) | Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2003) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124577 |
Breast cancer cell lines
Cell line | Reporter type
| Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
MCF-7-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma, mammary gland | • Mammary fat pad orthotopic model
• Mammary fat pad with lung metastasis | Eagle’s MEM ATCC (Cat. No. 30-2003) with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW119262 |
4T1-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Mouse: mammary gland; adenocarcinoma | • Mammary fat pad orthotopic tumor model
• Subcutaneous tumor models | RPMI 1640 ATCC Catalog Number 30-2001 with 10% heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 5 µg/mL | BW124087 |
4T1-Red-Fluc-GFP | Dual: Luciferase (luminescence) and GFP (fluorescence) | Mouse: mammary gland; adenocarcinoma | • Mammary fat pad orthotopic tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models • Ex vivo cell isolation using fluorescent activated cell sorter (FACS) • Post genomic analyses of isolated tumor cells. • Immunohistochemistry detection of GFP positive cells | RPMI 1640 ATCC (Catalog Number 30-2001) with 10% heat inactivated FBS | There is NO antibiotic selection for this cell line. | BW128090 |
Colorectal oncology
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
Colo205-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma; colorectal | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice) | RPMI 1640 (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2001) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124317 |
HCT 116-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma; colorectal | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice) | McCoy’s 5a Medium Modified, (ATCC catalog no. 30-2007) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124318 |
HT-29-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma; colorectal | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice) Note: Not recommended for colon orthotopic injection or implantation. | McCoy’s 5A, 1X (ATCC Catalog No. 10-050-CV) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124353 |
Fibrosarcoma
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
HT1080-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: Fibrosarcoma; adenocarcinoma | • Testing immunomodulation of drugs in vivo • In vivo subcutaneous tumor models | Eagle’s MEM (ATCC Cat. No.30-2003) with 10% heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW128092 |
Liver oncology
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
HepG2-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: Hepatocellular carcinoma | • In vivo liver metastasis
• Subcutaneous models | Eagle’s MEM (ATCC Cat. No.30-2003) with 10% FBS. Selection Marker: 2 mg/ml Puromycin | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW134280 |
Lung cancer
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
A549-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: carcinoma, lung | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Experimental metastasis models (intravenous in SCID-bg mice) | RPMI-1640 (Mediatech Cat. No. 10-040-CV) + 10% FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW119266 |
LL/2-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Mouse: carcinoma, lung | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice, successful at slower rate of growth for C57BL/6 and C57BL/6-albino mice) • Experimental metastasis models (intravenous) Note: Recommended mouse strains for in vivo imaging: SCID-beige (CR) and C57BL/6-albino (JAX). | Dulbecco's MEM (ATCC Cat. No. 30-2002) + 10% FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW119267 |
NCI-h560-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma; Lung | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice) • Orthotopic lung tumor models | RPMI 1640 ATCC Cat. No. 30-2001 with 10% heat- inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124316 |
Melanoma
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number and tech sheet |
B16-F10-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Mouse: Melanoma | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Experimental metastasis models (intravenous) | RPMI 1640 (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2001) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW124734 |
Ovarian cancer
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
SKOV3-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: adenocarcinoma, ovary | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Peritoneal dissemination models (intraperitoneal injection) | McCoy's 5a (ATCC Cat. No. 30-2007) + 10% FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW119276 |
Pancreatic cancer
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number |
BxPc-3-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: pancreas adenocarcinoma | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Orthotopic tumor model | RPMI 1640 (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2001) with 10% Heat inactivated FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW125058 |
Prostate cancer
Cell line | Reporter type | Tissue | Applications | Culture media | Antibiotic selection – not required for culturing | Product number and tech sheet |
LNCaP-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: prostate; adenocarcinoma | • Subcutaneous tumor models
• Subcutaneous tumor models with metastasis (SCID-bg mice) • Orthotopic prostate tumor model | RPMI 1640 (ATCC Catalog No. 30-2001) with 10% UNHEATED FBS | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW125055 |
PC-3-Red-Fluc | Firefly luciferase (luminescence) | Human: Prostate Cancer | • Experimental metastasis model
• Orthotopic prostate cancer models | Eagle’s MEM ATCC Cat. No. 30-2003 with 10% Heat inactivated FBS (Hyclone) | Puromycin at 2 µg/mL | BW128444 |
PC-3-Red-Fluc-GFP | Dual: Luciferase (luminescence) and GFP (fluorescence) | Human: Prostate; adeno- carcinoma | • Orthotopic and subcutaneous tumor models
• Ex vivo cell isolation using fluorescent activated cell sorter (FACS) • Post genomic analyses of isolated tumor cells • Fluorescent detection of of GFP positive cells using Nuance Multispectral imaging systems | Eagle’s MEM ATCC Cat. No. 30-2003 with 10% Heat inactivated FBS (Hyclone) | There is NO antibiotic selection for this cell line. | BW133416 |
Lentivirus particles for creating your own bioluminescent cells
View our lentiviral particles page for products and information on creating your own bioluminescent cells.
Substrates
Please see our page on D-luciferin substrates.
Protocols
- Culture Guidelines
- Cell preparation and imaging procedure – subcutaneous
- Cell preparation and imaging procedure – intravenous
- Cell preparation and imaging procedure – ex vivo
- Examples of validated models and cell injection number
- Imaging Procedure
- Preparation of luciferin for in vitro or in vivo assays using Cat. No. 122796
- RediJect D-luciferin protocol
- RediJect D-luciferin Ultra protocol
Citations
Browse or search our bioluminescent oncology cell line citations.
- Application Support Knowledge Base Home
- In Vivo and Preclinical Imaging
- Acute inflammation preclinical and in vivo imaging
- Angiogenesis on the ASK
- Arthritis on the ASK
- Atherosclerosis on the ASK
- Bacterial Infection on the ASK
- Bone biology and preclinical imaging
- Oncology on the ASK
- Pulmonary inflammation and preclinical imaging
- Vascular disease on the ASK
- Bioluminescent Cell Lines
- Light-producing microbes on the ASK
- RediFect lentiviral particles for in vivo and ex vivo imaging
- Luciferin and Coelenterazine Substrates
- Activatable imaging agents on the ASK
- Targeted in vivo agents on the ASK
- Vascular in vivo agents on the ASK
- AngioSense on the ASK
- AngioSPARK on the ASK
- Annexin Vivo on ASK
- Bacterial Detection Probe on the ASK
- BacteriSense on the ASK
- BombesinRSense on the ASK
- CAT B FAST on the ASK
- CAT K FAST on the ASK
- COX-2 probe on the ASK
- FolateRSense on the ASK
- GastroSense on the ASK
- Genhance on the ASK
- GFR-Vivo on the ASK
- HypoxiSense on the ASK
- IntegriSense on the ASK
- MMPSense on the ASK
- Neutrophil Elastase on the ASK
- OsteoSense on the ASK
- ProSense on the ASK
- PSA FAST on the ASK
- Rediject 2-DG on the ASK
- ReninSense on the ASK
- Superhance on the ASK
- TLectinSense on the ASK
- Transferrin-Vivo 750 on the ASK
- VivoTag on the ASK
- Depilation on the ASK
- IP injections for NIRF agents on ASK
- Lateral tail vein injections on the ASK
- Radioimaging on the ASK