תרבית תאים

Cell culturing is a technique of growing eukaryotic cells in a laboratory setting.

It provides a model system to study the physiology of cells outside their natural environment.

When cells from a tissue sample are grown directly in culture medium, the resultant cell cultures are called primary cultures.

Such cells need artificially controlled conditions, to help them grow, such as correct cultureware, depending on if they are adherent or suspension cultures; an optimal temperature; a suitable growth medium that can provide essential nutrients, like amino acids, vitamins, salts, and growth factors; and a pH buffering system.

As the primary cell adherent culture multiplies, it gradually occupies the entire surface area of the culture dish.

At this stage, the cells must be treated with a solution of protease and chelating agent, such as Trypsin-EDTA, to loosen the cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions to obtain single cells.

A small number of these cells can then be subcultured into a new dish containing a fresh growth medium to facilitate continued growth. Such subcultured cells form secondary cultures.