Vocab masters: subconfluent

[Pandamonium]

I can't find a definition of this word. Google hits are bringing up pdfs that contain the word subconfluent and definition, but don't really define subconfluent.

Used in context: "Subconfluent cultures of Saos(Arg72) cells were incubated at 39C". I officially hate "the literature".

 

[MyThirdEye]

Subinfluent - an organism that has a lesser effect than an influent on the ecological processes within a community.

This might sounds stupid, or be wrong, but would it be the opposite of that?

 

[Pandamonium]

Nice find. It makes sense that it would be the converse, but I don't see how that applies to a cell culture. I really hate how researchers feel the need to use vocabulary that's too esoteric for the goddamn internet.

 

[jdobratz]

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/confluent

There is a definition of the base word, Im assuming you can figure out the meaning of the prefix sub.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: jdobratz
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/confluent

There is a definition of the base word, Im assuming you can figure out the meaning of the prefix sub.

That is useless in this context. Microbiology should have it's own dictionary.

 

[Pandamonium]

That's similar to what I was able to piece together. The most vague definition I came up with was "less than joined", but I don't see how that applies to a cell culture line. The wiktionary definition is only in terms of meteorology, but I feel like the root meaning should be applicable across disciplines.

 

[jdobratz]

Then try this one from Webster.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: jdobratz
Then try this one from Webster.

I think he knows what confluence means :roll:

From my limited microbio experience, I know that streaking for confluence means attempting to get the whole agar dish to culture. Perhaps a subconfluent culture is one that was streaked for confluence, but did not achieve it, maybe due to the nature of the culture or other preexisting conditions on the plate ?

 

[Pandamonium]

Heh- the m-w definition of confluent and sub-prefix is probably how I put together a vague definition. I haven't the slightest what it means in the context of a Saos(Arg72) cell line. That cell line has a temperature sensitive mutant of p53 that functions @ 32C and is nonfunctional @ 39C.

 

[StevenYoo]

in cell culturing, confluency is achieved when adherent cells take up all the space on the culture flask, ie 100% confluency.

If cells take up about half of a given area of flask, then it's said to be 50% confluent.

Subconfluent refers to cell cultures that have not yet achieved 100% confluency, ie. cell cultures that haven;t crowded up the flask.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
in cell culturing, confluency is achieved when adherent cells take up all the space on the culture flask, ie 100% confluency.

If cells take up about half of a given area of flask, then it's said to be 50% confluent.

Subconfluent refers to cell cultures that have not yet achieved 100% confluency, ie. cell cultures that haven;t crowded up the flask.

Haha so it really is that simple. Overthinking FTL

I'm going to go crawl back in my hole again.