Animal Cell Culture

Animal cell culture, often referred to as animal cell culture, is a laboratory technique used to grow and maintain cells derived from animal tissues in a controlled environment. This method is crucial for various applications in biomedical research, drug development, and toxicology testing. 

Key Aspects of Animal Cell Culture:

1. Types of Cells: Animal cells used in culture can be primary cells (directly taken from tissues) or established cell lines (cells that have been adapted to grow continuously in vitro). Common examples include HeLa cells, CHO cells, and NIH 3T3 cells.

2. Culture Conditions: Animal cells require specific conditions for optimal growth, including appropriate temperature (typically 37°C), humidity, and gas composition (usually an atmosphere of 5% CO2). The culture medium must also provide essential nutrients, growth factors, and hormones.

3. Aseptic Techniques: To prevent contamination from bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms, aseptic techniques are critical during the handling and culturing of cells. This includes working in a laminar flow hood and using sterile equipment.

4. Applications: Animal cell culture is used for various purposes, including:

   • Basic Research: Studying cellular processes, gene expression, and biochemical pathways.
   • Drug Development: Testing the efficacy and toxicity of new drugs before clinical trials.
   • Vaccine Production: Growing viruses or producing vaccines in cultured cells.
   • Regenerative Medicine: Developing cell-based therapies and tissue engineering.

5. Challenges: Some challenges in animal cell culture include maintaining the genetic stability of cell lines, scaling up cultures for industrial applications, and dealing with contamination.

Overall, animal cell culture is a foundational technique in modern biological and medical research, enabling scientists to investigate complex cellular behaviors in a controlled setting.