Cell Cultures PDF

6. Cell cultures Introduction Cell cultures refers to the isolation of cells from an animal or plant and growing them in an artificially favourable condition. The cells may be removed directly from the tissue by disrupting the cell using enzymes or mechanically. Cells may also be derived...

6. Cell cultures Introduction Cell cultures refers to the isolation of cells from an animal or plant and growing them in an artificially favourable condition. The cells may be removed directly from the tissue by disrupting the cell using enzymes or mechanically. Cells may also be derived from a cell line or cell strain that has already been established. A cell line is a cell culture developed from a single cell and therefore consisting of cells with the same genetic make-up. Primary cell isolates are derived fresh from tissues and will grow and maintain specialised properties for a limited time. Both cell lines and primary cultures can be stored in liquid nitrogen and returned into the culture. Cell lines allow studies that may be difficult with whole organs. History and Application 19th-century English physiologist Sydney Ringer developed salt solutions suitable for maintaining the beating of an isolated animal heart outside of the body. It was Wilhelm Roux in 1885 however, establishing the principle of tissue culture. Cell culture techniques were advanced significantly in the 1940s and 1950s to support research in virology (the study of viruses). Growing viruses in cell cultures allowed preparation of purified viruses for the manufacture of vaccines (biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular disease). The injectable polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk was one of the first products mass-produced using cell culture techniques. This vaccine was made possible by the cell culture research of John Franklin Enders amongst others who were awarded a Nobel Prize for their discovery of a method of growing the virus in monkey kidney cell cultures.