Growth of Animal Cells in Culture

• Growth of Animal cells in Culture involves growing animal cells outside their natural environment under controlled laboratory conditions.
• This process allows for the study of cell biology, physiology, and biochemistry in a controlled setting, facilitating research and development in various biomedical fields.

General Procedure for Growth of Animal Cells in Culture

1. Preparation of Culture Media:

• Nutrient-rich media are prepared, containing essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, glucose, and growth factors.
• Serum (like fetal bovine serum) may be added to provide additional growth factors.

2. Sterilization and Aseptic Techniques:

• All equipment and media are sterilized to prevent contamination.
• Work is conducted in a laminar flow hood to maintain a sterile environment.

3. Isolation of Cells:

• From Tissue: Cells are isolated from animal tissues using enzymatic digestion (e.g., with trypsin or collagenase) to separate cells.
• From Established Lines: Cells are obtained from existing cell lines stored in repositories.

4. Seeding Cells:

• The isolated cells are placed into culture vessels (flasks, dishes) containing the prepared media.

5. Incubation:

• Cultures are incubated at optimal conditions (typically 37°C with 5

6. Monitoring and Maintenance:

• Regular observation under a microscope to assess cell health and confluency.
• Periodic media changes to supply fresh nutrients and remove waste products.

7. Subculturing (Passaging):

• When cells reach sufficient growth (confluency), they are transferred to new vessels to continue proliferation.

Types of Cell Cultures

• 

• Primary Cell Cultures:

  • Derived directly from animal tissues.
  • Have a limited lifespan (finite number of divisions).
  • Closely resemble the physiological state of cells in the body.
  • Applications: Studying normal cell functions, drug metabolism, and toxicology.
  Advertisements

• Established (Continuous) Cell Lines:

  • Cells that have adapted to in vitro conditions and can proliferate indefinitely.
  • May have undergone genetic changes to become immortalized.
  • Examples: HeLa cells, HEK 293 cells.
  • Applications: Large-scale studies, vaccine production, recombinant protein expression.

• Transformed Cell Cultures:

  • Cells that have been genetically altered to exhibit uncontrolled growth (similar to cancer cells).
  • Often used to study cancer mechanisms and test anti-cancer drugs.
  • Characteristics: Loss of contact inhibition, anchorage-independent growth.

Thank you for reading from Firsthope's notes, don't forget to check YouTube videos!