Advantages and disadvantages of cell immortalization methods
| Cell immortalization methods | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Transfection with viral oncogenes [33, 37] | -Easy to use (high efficiency);-No alteration of cellular gene profile;-Maintained genome stability, and potential for differentiation. | It may lead to genome instability, changes in phenotypic and genetic characteristics of primary cells, and sometimes to oncogenicity. |
| Exogenous induction of hTERT [27, 38] | Effective and widely used method. | Similar to transfection with viral oncogenes. |
| Irradiated (inactivated) mouse fibroblasts [32] | Prolonged expansion of primary cells. | Cellular senescence after several passages. |
| Inhibition of ROCK [35] | Cell protection from apoptosis, accelerated recovery after cryopreservation. | Cellular senescence after several passages. |
hTERT: human telomerase reverse transcriptase; ROCK: Rho-associated protein kinase