American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Technologist in Cytogenetics certification (ASCP CG) Practice Test

If a laboratory is facing challenges with poor culture growth, which measure could help address the issue?

1. Increase incubation temperature

2. Test for mycoplasma contamination

3. Reduce media volume

4. Change the type of culture medium used

The correct answer is: Test for mycoplasma contamination

Testing for mycoplasma contamination is an important measure to address poor culture growth. Mycoplasmas are a type of bacteria that can contaminate cell cultures and are notoriously difficult to detect and eliminate. Their presence can lead to detrimental effects on cultured cells, including altered growth patterns, changes in metabolism, and compromised experimental results. By identifying and eliminating mycoplasma contamination, the laboratory can help restore the health and viability of the cultures, leading to improved growth outcomes. Other options, while potentially relevant in different contexts, do not directly address underlying issues related to contamination that may be stunting culture growth. For example, increasing incubation temperature might enhance growth for some organisms but could also stress or kill others. Reducing media volume could lead to nutrient deficiencies that further inhibit growth, and simply changing the type of culture medium could introduce new variables without addressing existing contamination problems. Thus, testing for mycoplasma is the most effective initial approach to understanding and resolving issues with poor culture growth.