SH-SY5Y Cell Line
Repository ID: CL-HUM-003
Quick Facts
| Parameter | Information |
|---|---|
| Cell Line | SH-SY5Y |
| Species | Human (Homo sapiens) |
| Tissue of Origin | Bone marrow metastasis of neuroblastoma |
| Disease Association | Neuroblastoma |
| Cell Type | Neuroblast-like |
| Growth Mode | Adherent |
| Morphology | Mixed neuroblast-like and epithelial-like populations |
| Typical Medium | DMEM/F12 + 10% FBS |
| Doubling Time | 30-40 hours |
| Passage | 70-80% confluency |
| Main Use | Human neuronal model for neuroscience research |
Overview
SH-SY5Y is one of the most widely used human neuronal cell models in biomedical research. Derived from a human neuroblastoma, it combines the ease of culturing an immortal cell line with the ability to acquire neuron-like characteristics through differentiation.
Because of its human origin and experimental versatility, SH-SY5Y is extensively used to investigate neuronal development, neurodegenerative diseases, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuropharmacology.
Although differentiated SH-SY5Y cells resemble neurons, they remain a transformed neuroblastoma-derived cell line and do not fully replicate mature human neurons.
Origin
- Derived as a subclone of the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH.
- Successive subcloning enriched cells with neuronal characteristics.
- Established as a reproducible human neuronal model for neuroscience research.
Unique Biology
A defining characteristic of SH-SY5Y cells is their ability to undergo neuronal differentiation.
Following treatment with agents such as retinoic acid (RA) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), SH-SY5Y cells develop:
- Extended neurites
- Reduced proliferation
- Increased neuronal marker expression
- More mature neuronal morphology
Undifferentiated cultures typically contain a mixture of neuroblast-like (N-type) and substrate-adherent (S-type) cells. The proportion of these populations and the differentiation protocol used can influence experimental outcomes.
Because they express many neuronal proteins while remaining easy to culture, SH-SY5Y cells serve as a practical bridge between conventional immortalized cell lines and primary neurons.
Culture Considerations
Typical culture conditions include:
- DMEM/F12
- 10% Fetal Bovine Serum
- 37°C
- 5% CO₂
Cells grow as adherent cultures and are generally passaged at 70-80% confluency. Overconfluent cultures may undergo phenotypic changes and show reduced differentiation efficiency.
Experimental reproducibility depends heavily on maintaining consistent passage numbers and standardized differentiation protocols.
Major Applications
SH-SY5Y cells are extensively used for:
- Neurodegenerative disease research
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Huntington's disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Neurotoxicity studies
- Oxidative stress research
- Dopaminergic neuron research
- Neuropharmacology
- Drug discovery
- Mitochondrial biology
Strengths
- Human-derived neuronal model
- Easy to culture and maintain
- Amenable to neuronal differentiation
- Cost-effective alternative to primary neurons
- Extensive neuroscience literature
- Suitable for high-throughput studies
Limitations
- Derived from neuroblastoma rather than normal neurons
- Differentiated cells do not fully reproduce mature neuronal physiology
- Experimental outcomes depend on differentiation protocol
- Lack interactions with glial cells and neural circuits present in vivo
References
- Ross RA, Spengler BA, Biedler JL. Coordinate Morphological and Biochemical Interconversion of Human Neuroblastoma Cells. Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
- Xicoy H, Wieringa B, Martens GJM. The SH-SY5Y Cell Line in Parkinson's Disease Research: A Systematic Review. Molecular Neurodegeneration.
- Kovalevich J, Langford D. Considerations for the Use of SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells in Neurobiology. Methods in Molecular Biology.
- Freshney RI. Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique and Specialized Applications.
- ATCC Cell Line Database.
- Cellosaurus Cell Line Knowledge Resource.
- ECACC Cell Line Collection.