Introduction to Animal Cell Culture

Introduction to Animal Cell Culture

• Animal cell culture involves cultivating animal cells outside their natural environment in a controlled, laboratory setting.
• This allows for the study of cell behavior, function, and responses to various stimuli.
• Different types of animal cells can be cultivated, including primary cells (directly isolated from tissues) and immortalized cell lines (cells that can continuously divide).
• Key applications include drug screening, understanding disease mechanisms, and tissue engineering.

Types of Animal Cells

• Primary cells: Isolated directly from tissues.
  • Exhibit finite lifespan (limited number of divisions).
  • Often more closely represent in vivo (in living organism) conditions.
  • Requires careful handling and maintenance protocols.
• Cell lines: Derived from primary cells or cancerous tissues.
  • Can proliferate indefinitely in culture.
  • Widely used in research due to consistent availability.
  • May not always accurately reflect in vivo characteristics.
  • Classified based on their origin, characteristics, and other factors.

Culture Techniques

• Media composition: Essential for cell growth, containing nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and growth factors.
• Sterile environment is crucial to prevent contamination. Laminar flow hoods are frequently used.
• Cell seeding density is critical, ensuring enough cells for observation without overcrowding.
• Incubation conditions like temperature, CO2 level, and humidity control optimize cell growth and survival.

Culture Vessels

• Dishes, flasks (e.g., T-flasks, multi-well plates) are common culture vessels for cells.
• Choosing the right vessel depends on the volume of the media necessary and planned experiments.
• Surface area and materials affect cell adhesion, growth, and morphology.

Cell Passage

• Cell passage involves transferring a fraction of the cells to fresh media and culture vessels.
• This allows for maintaining a continuous cell population.
• Crucial techniques to avoid cell damage or contamination during passage.
• Proper cell passage steps maintain cell viability and characteristics.

Cell Characterization

• Microscopy is used to visualize cell morphology (shape) and growth.
• Cell viability assays (e.g., trypan blue exclusion) assess live vs. dead cells.
• Cell counting (e.g., hemocytometer) tracks cell growth.
• Protein expression and analysis can reveal cellular function or disease state.

Common Challenges in Animal Cell Culture

• Common contamination issues (bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma).
  • Contamination can halt cell growth and skew experimental results.
  • Prevention and detection methods are essential.
• Maintaining cell viability and health.
  • Proper cell culture conditions are necessary to sustain growth.
  • Monitoring cell health is vital to troubleshooting potential problems.
• Cell senescence or aging.
  • Primary cells have a limited lifespan.
  • Some cell lines lose authentic characteristics over many passages.
• Maintaining cell characteristics (e.g., morphology, phenotype, function).
  • Changes in culture conditions can affect cell properties.

Ethical Considerations in Animal Cell Culture

• Ethical cell line origin considerations are an essential aspect of research.
• Ensuring proper handling and disposal of animal cells is necessary to avoid introducing potential contaminants.
• Specific regulations and guidelines concerning animal cell cultures must be followed.

Explore the fundamentals of animal cell culture, including the cultivation of primary cells and immortalized cell lines. Understand their applications in drug screening, disease research, and tissue engineering. This quiz covers essential concepts and types of cells used in laboratory settings.