{"product_id":"rat-cardiac-fibroblasts-rcf-bhc18500106","title":"Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts (RCF)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRat Cardiac Fibroblasts (RCF)\u003c\/strong\u003e is a cell model used for research applications where physiologically relevant identity and donor background support interpretation of experimental readouts. Rat Fibroblasts derived from Heart (Cardiac) within the Cardiovascular system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRat Cardiac Fibroblasts (RCF) are the most prevalent cell type in the rodent’s heart, making up 60-70 % of all cells. They are known to play key roles in the development of cardiac disease and hypertrophy. They provide an excellent model system to study many aspects of heart function and pathophysiology, including the regulation of cell growth, survival, inflammation, hormone secretion and metabolism. iXCells Biotechnologies provides high quality RCF, which are isolated from neonatal rat heart tissue and cryopreserved at P2, with \u0026gt;0.5 million cells in each vial. RCF express platelet-derived growth factor-ß (PDGF receptor-ß) and α-smooth muscle actin. They are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast, and fungi and can further expand for 6 population doublings in Fibroblast Growth Medium (Cat# MD-0011) under the condition suggested by iXCells Biotechnologies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey elements and design rationale\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCell identity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fibroblasts (Primary Cells)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSource context:\u003c\/strong\u003e Heart; Cardiac; Cardiovascular\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDonor background:\u003c\/strong\u003e Age: Neonatal\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiosafety level:\u003c\/strong\u003e BSL-1 (follow your institution’s biosafety program and local regulations)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProduct-specific elements (such as tissue source, donor background, and cell classification) help frame how results should be interpreted across assays and experimental conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBiological background\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFibroblasts are key stromal cells that produce and remodel extracellular matrix, coordinate wound repair, and shape tissue microenvironments through paracrine signaling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross primary and specialty cell models, experimental outcomes can be influenced by donor heterogeneity, passage history, confluence, and media composition. For interpretation, it is common to validate key markers or functional phenotypes in the user’s assay context and to document culture variables consistently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eResearch relevance and current trends\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIncreasing use of primary and specialty cells to improve translational relevance for target biology and phenotypic screening.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eAdoption of 3D culture formats and co-culture systems to better capture tissue microenvironments and cell–cell interactions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIntegration of functional readouts with single-cell and multi-omics profiling to connect phenotype with molecular state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eUse of flow\/shear and barrier-focused assays to study vascular inflammation, permeability, and angiogenic remodeling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon research applications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eProfile identity markers by flow cytometry or immunostaining in cultured cells\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eQuantify functional responses to defined stimuli relevant to the model system\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eCompare baseline phenotype across donors\/conditions using gene expression profiling\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEvaluate angiogenic behavior using migration and tube-formation readouts (assay dependent)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eScreen compounds or genetic perturbations for phenotype modulation using viability or imaging endpoints\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterpretation typically focuses on how a perturbation (e.g., cytokine exposure, metabolic stress, genetic manipulation, or compound treatment) shifts marker profiles or functional readouts relative to an appropriate control matched for donor and culture variables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eNotes for experimental interpretation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDonor-to-donor heterogeneity can influence baseline phenotype and treatment response; include biological replicates when feasible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003ePassage number, confluence, and media composition can shift gene expression and functional readouts; track and report these variables consistently.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eContamination control (including routine mycoplasma monitoring) supports reproducibility in downstream assays.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eUse appropriate negative\/positive controls for the readout (e.g., unstimulated controls, pathway agonists\/antagonists) to contextualize observed changes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- Sources (internal):\n- ATCC Animal Cell Culture Guide — ATCC — https:\/\/www.atcc.org\/resources\/culture-guides\/animal-cell-culture-guide\n- Cell Line Authentication — ATCC — https:\/\/www.atcc.org\/resources\/culture-guides\/cell-line-authentication\n- Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) — U.S. HHS\/CDC\/NIH — https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/labs\/BMBL.html\n- Mycoplasma contamination in cell culture — NCBI Bookshelf\/PMC — https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/\n- Primary cell culture considerations — Nature Methods — https:\/\/www.nature.com\/nmeth\/\n- Good cell culture practice guidelines — OECD\/ECVAM (concept) — https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/\n--\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"display:none\"\u003eSKU:BHC18500106\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"iXCells Biotechnologies","offers":[{"title":"Cryopreserved \/ 0.5 million cells\/vial","offer_id":53197815153005,"sku":"10RA-012","price":863.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/7424\/7277\/files\/10RA-012.png?v=1782157704","url":"https:\/\/www.ebiohippo.com\/products\/rat-cardiac-fibroblasts-rcf-bhc18500106","provider":"BioHippo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}