Cell culture Ayesha Siddiqui

Briefly described, cell culture refers to the removal of cells from an animal or plant and their
subsequent growth in a favorable artificial environment.

Significance and Applications:

Cell culture is one of the important means used in cellular or molecular biology. It provides a
complete analysis of the normal physiology and biochemistry of cells (e.g. metabolic activity).
Through biotransformation, cells can be continually reproduced and manipulated and modified
to satisfy our needs.

In plants:

 Single cell clones can be extracted from single cell culture.

 Redevelopment can occur from the hard tissue of the single cell clones.

 As in cultured tissue, changes can be made to manipulate the cells to alter

characteristics; crops can be improved to adjust to give higher yield.

 Isolated single cells are used to handle the microbial system which is helpful in the
treatment of mutagens.

In animals:

 It used as a model to test the effects of chemical compounds or drugs on specific cells
(normal or carcinogenic).

 The combinations and arrangements of cells can be studied to generate artificial tissue
e.g. artificial skin.

 By studying the effects, drug screening and large-scale production of biological

compounds, (e.g. vaccines, therapeutic proteins) derived from culturing, can also be
practiced.
Merits and Demerits:

 There is a consistency and reproducibility in the results which are obtained using a batch
of clonal cells.
 It helps in the understanding of in vivo and in vitro actions of different drugs, different
compounds.

 After a period of continuous growth, cell characteristics may vary and may become quite
different than the starting population.
 Cells adapt to the different media and environments provided and are bound to be
modified.
 Changing of characteristics and growth patterns presents as a problem when trying to
understand the cell reactions in vivo.

ghulam.lakho@aku.edu