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Primary cell culture refers to the process of isolating cells directly from animal tissues and growing them in a suitable artificial environment under controlled laboratory conditions. These cells are taken from a living organism and maintained in vitro for a limited period. Since they closely mimic the in vivo state, primary cells are considered more physiologically relevant than immortalized cell lines. However, they have limited lifespan and can divide only for a few generations. Primary cell culture is widely used in cell biology, pharmacology, toxicology, cancer research and vaccine production because of its close resemblance to natural cell behavior in organisms. Types of Primary Cells (Based on Growth Behaviour): There are two main types of primary cells depending on how they behave during growth in culture: 1. Adherent Cells / Anchorage-Dependent Cells: Adherent cells, also known as  anchorage-dependent cells,  are those which require a solid surface to attach, spread ...

Different Methods to Monitor Cell Viability Monitoring cell viability is a critical aspect of animal cell culture experiments. It helps in assessing the health, growth and physiological condition of cultured cells. Cell viability refers to the proportion of living cells in a population, and its measurement is important for applications like cytotoxicity testing, drug screening, vaccine production and bioprocess optimization. Viability assays work on different principles such as membrane integrity, metabolic activity, enzyme function, and dye uptake or exclusion. There are several reliable methods available to evaluate cell viability and each has its own advantages and limitations. Here are the six most widely used and experimentally validated methods to monitor cell viability in animal cell culture: 1. Trypan Blue Exclusion Assay This is one of the most classical and basic methods. Trypan blue is a dye that cannot enter live cells due to intact cell membranes. Only dead cells with comp...

Animal cell culture refers to the process of growing animal cells in artificial conditions outside the body. These cells are maintained in nutrient-rich media under strictly controlled conditions of temperature, pH and oxygen. This technique plays a vital role in many areas of biological research and biotechnology. The wide applications of animal cell culture span from basic research to industrial production, clinical therapy and diagnostics. There are following major applications of animal cell culture which are: 1. Vaccine Production 1. Vaccine Production One of the most common applications of animal cell culture is in the production of vaccines. Viruses are grown in cultured animal cells to produce vaccines safely and in large quantities. For example,  Vero cells  (taken from monkey kidney) were used in the development of  Covaxin  during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Similarly, vaccines for rabies, polio, measles and hepatitis B are also made using animal cell ...

Animal cell culture is a well-controlled laboratory technique where cells from animal tissues are grown outside the organism in a nutrient-rich artificial environment. This method is highly useful in various biological and medical research areas like cancer studies, genetic engineering, drug testing and vaccine production. The whole process requires strict aseptic conditions, proper nutritional media, and controlled temperature, pH and gas levels. To establish a successful culture of animal cells, a stepwise procedure is followed. These steps help in obtaining viable, healthy and contaminant-free cells that can divide and grow properly in laboratory conditions. In general, the animal cell culture procedure involves three main steps: tissue isolation, disaggregation into single cells and culturing in growth media. 1. Isolation of Tissue and Explant Preparation: The first and very crucial step is to obtain a suitable tissue sample from an animal, which could be from organs like kidney, l...

To distinguish between primary and secondary cell culture, we must first understand what each term represents and how they differ in terms of origin, growth behavior, life span and application. Primary cell culture  refers to the initial culture that is directly derived from animal or plant tissues by mechanical or enzymatic disaggregation. The cells in this culture closely resemble the in vivo state both genetically and functionally. However, these cells have a limited capacity to divide and usually undergo senescence after a few passages. On the other hand,  secondary cell culture  is derived from the subculturing or passaging of primary cells. After several passages, the cells that adapt better to in vitro conditions may give rise to a more stable population. In some cases, these cells may undergo transformation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely, forming a cell line. Now, based on several key features, we can distinguish between primary and secondary ...