Why Is Animal Tissue Culture Done?

Animal tissue culture is the biological technique in which scientists obtain a piece of tissue from an animal specimen and grow and maintain the cells from that tissue in an in vitro or artificial environment.

Types

• The term "tissue culture" is often used interchangeably with "cell culture," the only difference being that cell cultures are often derived from a primary tissue culture source, which originated directly from tissue. "Primary" cell lines have a limited lifespan whereas "immortal" or established cell lines can proliferate indefinitely.

Maintenance

• Tissue cultures have to be maintained in contamination-free laboratory conditions that mimic their original environment. They grow in flasks containing media enriched with nutrients and growth factors to provide nutrition, which are housed in incubators that regulate temperature and humidity.

Significance

• Mimicking the cells' environment in the lab allows scientists to be able to study them in controlled conditions. Tissue culture is used in numerous biological research applications and is a critical technique in biotechnology to further discoveries in human or animal health, genetics and disease diagnosis, prevention and treatment.

Uses

• Scientists use cultured cells in laboratory experiments to learn more about cell and organ structure and function, diagnose viruses, learn the effects and toxicity of drugs, develop treatments to organ failure and much more. Products developed from cell culture include vaccines, hormones, enzymes and anticancer drugs.

Safety

• Scientists who work with any human or animal specimens, such as cells, always observe proper laboratory safety precautions, not only to protect the scientist but also to prevent contamination and death of important cell cultures.