Required skills

Required skills include

working safely and satisfying all legal and regulatory requirements

preparing diluting and sterilising reagents and culture media

choosing media and substrate material based on cost cleaning sterilising and maintenance of cell growth

passaging cell cultures by subculturing

growing cell lines and tissue to specifications without contaminating the original sample and the environment

counting cells identifying a wide range of cell types and contaminants and recognising normal and abnormal cells

monitoring cell growth and recognising and troubleshooting problems

storing cells so that they remain viable

demonstrating chain of custody for all cells cell lines and tissues

maintaining accurate traceable records of cell lines and tissues and logs of procedures and work completed

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

purposes of cell lines

normal and abnormal cell morphology

terminology such as cell lines growth media primary culture passaging passage number subculture anchorage dependent cells suspension culture monolayer confluent cell line cell strain contact inhibition diploid and viability

cell biology structure physiology function physiological cell growth requirements nutrient requirements respiration temperature and growth cycle

critical components of the cell environment and their effects on cell growth such as pH temperature buffering osmotic pressure osmolarity viscosity and foaming

types of tissue used as source material such as embryonic adult or malignant tissue

techniques for characterising a cell line

the differences between finite and continuous cell lines

characteristics of cell culture media and substrates

nature of substrates eg solid semisolid gel or sponge glass disposable plastics and threedimensional matrices

techniques for pretreating substrates eg feeder layers chemical treatments such as poly Dlysine collagen gelatine and fibronectin

role of ingredients in media eg salts carbohydrates amino acids vitamins hormones growth factors serum and antibiotics

contaminants such as endotoxins bacteria yeast fungi and Mycoplasma

requirements typical problems and procedures associated with the production of specific cell lines

relevant health safety and environment requirements

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessors should ensure that candidates can

work safely and satisfy all legal and regulatory requirements including the use and care of safety cabinets

demonstrate chain of custody for all cells cell lines and tissues

prepare dilute and sterilise reagents and culture media that are fit for purpose

choose and justify appropriate media and substrate material based on cost cleaning sterilising and maintenance of cell growth

successfully passage cell cultures by subculturing

grow cell lines and tissue to specifications without contaminating the original sample and the environment

count cells identify a wide range of cell types and contaminants and recognise normal and abnormal cells

monitor cell growth and recognise and troubleshoot problems such as contamination

store cells so that they remain viable

maintain accurate traceable records of cell lines and tissues and logs of procedures and work completed

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment

This unit of competency may be assessed with

MSLA Maintain the laboratoryfield workplace fit for purpose

MSL933001A Maintain the laboratory/field workplace fit for purpose.

Resources may include

laboratory equipped with appropriate test equipmentinstruments standards and reagents

enterprise procedures and standard methods

relevant tissues and cell lines

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of records of cell lines and tissues produced by the candidate

periodic observation of the candidate establishing and maintaining viable cell lines

feedback from peers and supervisors to confirm that workplace procedures are consistently followed and that results meet workplace requirements

oral andor written questioning

In all cases practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly

Where applicable reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity age gender demographics and disability

Access must be provided to appropriate learning andor assessment support when required

The language literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting

Biotechnology

A laboratory technical officer works at a research institute that genetically modifies myocardial cell lines to express Angiotensin II receptors and modify their action Their role in the team is to grow the cells This involves selecting the appropriate media growth conditions and equipment and carefully monitoring cell growth Each day they visually check the cells and when necessary modify pH temperature buffering osmolarity and substrates to enhance growth The technical officer keeps accurate and legible records of cells cell lines tissues observations and details of all modifications so that the team has a complete reliable record of all work done

Biomedical

A laboratory technical officer works at a metropolitan pathology laboratory Their role is to prepare and use cell cultures for the initial isolation of viruses such as the herpes simplex HSV I and II They routinely subculture human embryonic lung HEL cells using appropriate media flasks and aseptic techniques in a Class II biohazard cabinet They inoculate each flask with mL of patient swab washings and incubate them at C for seven days They also use appropriate positive and negative controls as required by the laboratorys quality assurance procedures Each day the technical officer examines the cell monolayer for distinctive changes cytopathic effect When the effect is detected they seek confirmation of the changes from a senior technician The flask is then sent for immunofluorescent testing to identify the virus isolate

Codes of practice

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Hazards

Hazard control measures

Tissue culture equipment and facilities

Selection criteria for media, materials and equipment

Pre-use checks

Cells and tissues

Preparing a primary culture

Monitoring growth of tissue and cell lines

Preservation of cell lines

Records

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements