Expanding access to cell lines
A lack of access to cell lines is a key barrier to cultivated meat research. Learn how we are streamlining access to cell lines and funding the development of new lines.
Why cell lines?
Cells are the fundamental building blocks of both conventionally produced and cultivated meat. High-quality cell lines are essential ingredients for making cultivated meat that is safe, nutritious, and tasty. However, that’s not the only reason we are focusing on this piece of the puzzle. Innovating in areas such as media, scaffolding, and bioreactors is more difficult when there is a lack of fundamental research tools like cell lines. By overcoming an obstacle that will affect the majority of cultivated meat research projects, we can lower the barrier to these downstream areas for innovation.
Cell line development and utilisation trends in the cultivated meat industry
The limited availability of cell lines with desirable characteristics for commercial production is a major bottleneck across the cultivated meat industry. To untangle the complicated web of challenges that cultivated meat manufacturers and cell line providers are encountering, GFI APAC surveyed companies at the end of 2022. A total of 44 companies responded to the survey, providing a first-of-its-kind portrait of the progress, preferences, and hurdles at play in this fast-growing global industry as it seeks to scale up a smarter way of making meat.
Find a cell line
Cell lines can be obtained through public repositories or by reaching out to the cell line owner directly. You can use the trackers below to find out about existing and in-progress cell lines and primary cells available from a variety of sources.
If you know of a cell line that should be listed here, or if you have a cell line you would be interested in making available to the research community, please let us know!
Explore existing cell lines
The table below includes cell lines likely to be useful in cultivated meat or seafood research and are either available from a repository or where GFI has been able to explicitly verify that the cell line exists. If we have any additional information about possible licensing terms or how to access the cells, this can be found in the Notes column. You can use the “Filter” button to narrow down the list based on species, cell type, availability, or other criteria.
The complete list of cell lines
This table includes not only existing cell lines but also those that are planned, in progress or those that have been published but may or may not exist anymore. As with the table above, species and cell types likely to be relevant to cultivated meat have been prioritized. You can use the “Filter” button to narrow down the list based on species, cell type, availability, or other criteria.
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Get updates on new cell lines
Can’t find a cell line that meets your needs? Let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll send you an update if and when something similar becomes available.
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Share a cell line
Want to share a cell line with the research community or know of a cell line that should be included? Get in touch with us!
Featured resources
Deep dive: Cultivated meat cell lines
Learn about the cell lines that are important for cultivated meat production.
Aggregating data for alternative seafood
Use our open-access databases to explore how scientific taxonomies and evolutionary relationships map onto culinary categories of seafood.
Research grants
Learn about cutting-edge alternative protein research funded by GFI. Find funding opportunities for your own research.
Alternative Proteins Solutions Database
Discover ideas for new startups, commercial ventures and products, research projects, ecosystem support, and investment opportunities for plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived proteins.
