ciPTEC Human Renal Cell Lines – Nephrotoxicity & Drug Transporter Assays | SeamlessBio
Exclusive DACH Distributor – Cell4Pharma

ciPTEC – The Gold Standard Human Renal Cell Line for Nephrotoxicity & DDI Research

Conditionally immortalized human proximal tubule epithelial cells with stable expression of all FDA/EMA-relevant drug transporters for 20+ passages. Used in 30+ laboratories. 90+ peer-reviewed publications.

20+Stable Passages
90+Publications
30+Laboratories Worldwide
7Functional Transporters
Cell4Pharma via SeamlessBio

ciPTEC Cell Line Portfolio

Three validated human renal proximal tubule cell line variants for every stage of preclinical drug development – from nephrotoxicity screening to full FDA/EMA transporter DDI characterization.

Parental Line
ciPTEC Parental
Cat# C4P-PTEC-P

The foundational human proximal tubule cell line. Endogenous expression of key renal transporters. Stable for 20+ passages. Base model for general nephrotoxicity, cell viability, and transporter activity assays.

OCT2 P-gp (ABCB1) MRP2 MRP4 BCRP Megalin/Cubilin
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OAT3 Variant
ciPTEC-OAT3
Cat# C4P-PTEC-OAT3

ciPTEC Parental stably transfected with functional OAT3 (SLC22A8). Ideal for basolateral organic anion uptake studies and complete renal transport characterization alongside ciPTEC-OAT1.

OAT3 (SLC22A8) OCT2 P-gp MRP2 MRP4 BCRP
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🔗 Culture medium tip: ciPTEC cells require Human AB Serum for supplementation. → Human Serum AB Male OTC available here
Competitive Analysis

ciPTEC vs. Alternatives

Based on published data, conference presentations, and Cell4Pharma internal validation. The key differentiator: stable, functional OAT1/OAT3/OCT2 expression – a combination no competitor reliably provides.

Feature ciPTEC ✓ Best HK-2 (ATCC) Primary PTECs SA7K (Merck) RPTEC/TERT (Evercyte)
Human proximal tubule origin ~ HPV-transformed
Stable functional OAT1 Functional Lost ~ Hours only Absent ~ Inconsistent
Stable functional OAT3 Functional ~ Hours only Low
Endogenous OCT2 ~ Low
P-gp / MRP2 / MRP4 / BCRP All functional ~ Reduced ~ ~ ~
Stable for 20+ passages Days only
FDA/EMA DDI full transporter panel Complete No OATs ~ Partial
96-well HTS compatible
No donor-to-donor variation High
No proprietary medium required Evercyte only
Peer-reviewed publications 90+ Many (limited tox use) Many <10 Limited
Transfer to customer labs Full

Sources: Jenkinson et al. (2012) – HK-2 limitations | Vormann et al. AAPSJ (2018) – SA7K | Cell4Pharma internal validation | Published conference presentations

Key Advantages

Why ciPTEC is the Right Choice for Your Lab

The only human renal cell line with stable, validated expression of the complete FDA/EMA renal transporter panel – developed over a decade of academic-industry collaboration.

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Complete FDA/EMA Transporter Panel – One Cell Line

ciPTEC-OAT1 expresses OAT1, OCT2, P-gp, MRP2, MRP4, and BCRP. No competitor provides this full panel in a single transferable cell line without proprietary medium requirements.

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Regulatory Compliance Built In

All transporters listed in FDA (2017) and EMA (2013) DDI guidelines for renal studies are covered. Run your complete preclinical transporter package in one validated model.

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Unlimited Reproducible Assays

Stable for 20+ passages means your entire organization runs identical assays from the same cell stock. No donor variation. No batch inconsistency. No fee-for-service bottleneck.

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90+ Publications – Science-Validated

No other transferable human renal cell line for nephrotoxicity screening has this publication depth. Used in 30+ laboratories across pharma, biotech, CRO, and academia worldwide.

High-Content Screening Ready

96-well format compatible. Multi-parametric readouts validated: cytoskeleton (Phalloidin), mitochondria (MitoTracker), nuclear (DAPI). 75% sensitivity, 100% specificity.

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Direct DACH Supply – No Import Costs

SeamlessBio ships from European stock with EUR invoicing, full CoA documentation, and technical support in German and English. No customs delays, no hidden costs.

Applications

Validated Assays in ciPTEC Models

Over a decade of validation with pharmaceutical partners. Limited inter-laboratory variation across all assay formats.

Cell viability (MTT, WST-8, cell count)
LDH cytotoxicity assay
Oxidative stress / ROS (CM-H2DCFDA)
OAT1 / OAT3 uptake transport
OCT2 transport activity
P-gp efflux (ABCB1)
BCRP efflux (ABCG2)
MRP2 / MRP4 transport
DDI / IC50 determination
Megalin / cubilin endocytosis
CYP / UGT / GST enzyme activity
miRNA secretion profiling
NAG release (tubular damage marker)
ATP / O₂ production
3D microfluidic / kidney-on-a-chip
CRISPR/Cas gene editing compatible
High-content imaging (96-well HCS)
Cytokine production
Frequently Asked Questions

ciPTEC – Technical & Ordering FAQ

Common questions from ADME-tox researchers, process development scientists, and procurement.

What is ciPTEC and how was it developed?
ciPTEC (conditionally immortalized human proximal tubule epithelial cell) is derived from a human female kidney donor. It was immortalized using SV40T (ts A58) and hTERT, enabling unlimited proliferation at 33°C while maintaining differentiated proximal tubule characteristics at 37°C. Protected under patent PCT/EP2010/066792. Developed and manufactured by Cell4Pharma.
Why is ciPTEC better than HK-2 for nephrotoxicity studies?
HK-2 (ATCC PCS-400-010), immortalized with HPV-E6/E7, has lost most proximal tubule characteristics and key transporters (OAT1, OAT3, OCT2) during proliferation. Jenkinson et al. (2012) formally documented these limitations. ciPTEC maintains functional expression of all major renal transporters for 20+ passages, enabling accurate nephrotoxicity and DDI predictions impossible with HK-2.
How does ciPTEC compare to Evercyte RPTEC/TERT?
RPTEC/TERT is immortalized with hTERT only; ciPTEC uses SV40T + hTERT. Multiple independent laboratories have reported absent or inconsistent OAT1/OAT3 expression in RPTEC/TERT. Evercyte also requires a proprietary culture medium obtainable only from Evercyte. Many labs that switched to RPTEC/TERT returned to ciPTEC within 1–2 years due to stability and functionality issues with OAT expression.
Is ciPTEC compliant with FDA (2017) and EMA (2013) DDI guidance?
Yes. Both guidelines require characterization of renal transporter DDI at OAT1, OAT3, OCT2, P-gp, BCRP, MRP2, MRP4, MATE1, and MATE2-k. ciPTEC-OAT1 expresses all of these – making it the most complete single-cell-line platform for a full regulatory-compliant renal DDI package.
What culture medium does ciPTEC require?
ciPTEC does not require any proprietary medium. Standard culture protocols are available on request. Human Serum AB Male OTC (SeamlessBio) is recommended as a culture medium supplement for defined-serum applications.
How do I order ciPTEC in Germany, Austria or Switzerland?
SeamlessBio GmbH is the exclusive DACH distributor for Cell4Pharma products. Order via shop.seamlessbio.de, email info@seamlessbio.de, or call +49 851 37932226. EUR invoicing, full CoA documentation, German and English technical support included.

Ready to upgrade your renal toxicity model?

Request ciPTEC cells, technical documentation, or a free consultation. SeamlessBio ships to all DACH countries – EUR invoicing, full GMP documentation, direct support.