Cell banking for pharmaceutical research.

The provision of high-quality eukaryotic cells through robust cell banking processes is essential for the progression of drug discovery projects throughout the pharmaceutical research process. Numerous models exist to meet this aim, and this review describes many of the underlying principles, challenges and opportunities as well as detailing how these have been addressed within AstraZeneca. Crucial aspects discussed include cell line acquisition, cell bank generation, cryopreservation, storage, tracking and distribution.