What is Cell Culture?
Cell culture is the process of growing cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, in an artificial environment outside their original biological organism. This technique involves isolating cells from tissues or organs and providing them with suitable conditions, including nutrients, temperature, and pH, allowing them to survive and proliferate in vitro.
Key Components and Principles
Successful cell culture requires a sterile environment to prevent contamination, a growth medium containing essential nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, salts, glucose), growth factors, and a suitable substrate for cell attachment (for adherent cells). Cells are typically maintained in incubators that control temperature (e.g., 37°C for mammalian cells) and CO2 levels (e.g., 5% CO2) to regulate pH.
A Practical Example
A common example is culturing human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. These cells are grown in flasks or plates, submerged in a specialized liquid medium. Researchers regularly check them under a microscope, change their medium, and 'pass' them (divide them into new containers) when they become too numerous, ensuring a continuous supply of cells for experiments.
Importance and Applications
Cell culture is crucial for studying cell biology, disease mechanisms (like cancer and viral infections), drug discovery, vaccine production, and gene therapy. It provides a controlled, reproducible system to investigate cellular processes without the complexities of a whole organism, leading to breakthroughs in medicine and biotechnology.