Jurkat Cell Line
Repository ID: CL-HUM-010
Quick Facts
| Parameter | Information |
|---|---|
| Cell Line | Jurkat |
| Species | Human (Homo sapiens) |
| Tissue of Origin | Peripheral Blood |
| Disease Association | Acute T-cell Leukemia |
| Cell Type | T Lymphocyte |
| Growth Mode | Suspension |
| Morphology | Round, lymphocyte-like |
| Typical Medium | RPMI-1640 + 10% FBS |
| Doubling Time | 20-30 hours |
| Passage | Maintain at 2 × 10⁵ to 1 × 10⁶ cells/mL |
| Main Use | T-cell signaling, immunology, HIV research, and immunotherapy |
Overview
Jurkat is one of the most widely used human T-lymphocyte cell lines in biomedical research. Derived from a patient with acute T-cell leukemia, Jurkat cells retain many characteristics of activated T lymphocytes and have become a standard model for investigating adaptive immunity, intracellular signaling, and immune cell function.
Their suspension growth, reproducible signaling responses, and high transfection efficiency make Jurkat cells an indispensable model for immunology, molecular biology, and functional genomics.
Origin
- Established from a patient with acute T-cell leukemia.
- Developed as a continuously proliferating human T-cell model.
- Widely used in immunology, cell signaling, and functional genomics research.
Unique Biology
Jurkat cells are considered the gold-standard model for studying T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Activation of the TCR triggers intracellular signaling cascades that regulate T-cell activation, proliferation, cytokine production, and adaptive immune responses.
Following receptor stimulation, Jurkat cells exhibit rapid intracellular calcium mobilization, making them an excellent model for investigating calcium-dependent signaling pathways, NFAT activation, and transcriptional regulation.
Jurkat cells also express many of the host factors required for HIV infection, making them one of the most extensively used cellular models for studying viral entry, replication, host-virus interactions, and antiviral drug development.
Their compatibility with CRISPR-Cas9, reporter assays, and genetic engineering has further established Jurkat as an important platform for immunotherapy research, including CAR-T cell development and immune checkpoint signaling.
Culture Considerations
Typical culture conditions include:
- RPMI-1640 Medium
- 10% Fetal Bovine Serum
- 37°C
- 5% CO₂
Jurkat cells grow as suspension cultures and are maintained by dilution rather than trypsinization. Cell density should generally be maintained between 2 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁶ cells/mL to ensure optimal growth and viability.
Major Applications
Jurkat cells are extensively used for:
- T-cell receptor signaling
- Calcium signaling
- Cytokine production
- HIV biology
- Immunotherapy research
- CAR-T cell development
- CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing
- Functional genomics
- Reporter assays
- Immune checkpoint research
Strengths
- Well-established human T-cell model
- Suspension culture allows rapid expansion
- Excellent model for T-cell receptor signaling
- Highly amenable to genetic manipulation
- Extensive scientific literature support
Limitations
- Derived from leukemic rather than normal T lymphocytes
- Certain signaling pathways differ from primary T cells
- Does not fully reproduce the complexity of the immune system
- Experimental findings should be validated using primary immune cells
References
- Freshney RI. Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique and Specialized Applications.
- ATCC Cell Line Database.
- Cellosaurus Cell Line Knowledgebase.
- ECACC Cell Line Collection.
- Weiss A et al. Journal of Immunology. 1984.