Transmitochondrial cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) enable functional assessment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded proteins. Cybrid production often utilizes cell lines depleted of endogenous mtDNA (p0 cells), and a number of suitable rho 0 cell lines exist for this purpose. We now provide molecular data characterizing an NT2 human teratocarcinoma rho 0 cell line, as well as NT2 cybrid derivatives. NT2 rho 0 cells contained no detectable mtDNA on a sensitive PCR assay. Eight weeks after exogenous mtDNA transfer cybrids showed no evidence of endogenous mtDNA reversion, and heteroplasmic ratios of a single nucleotide substitution roughly reflected that of the blood samples used to repopulate their mtDNA. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.