Topic 3: Types of Cell Cultures

Cell culture involves the growth of cells under controlled conditions, typically outside their natural environment. The main types of cell cultures can be classified based on the origin of the cells, the type of cell culture, and their functional characteristics.

1. Based on the Source of the Cells

• Primary Cell Culture
  • Derived directly from tissues of an organism.
  • Closely resemble the original tissue in structure and function.
  • Limited lifespan and more challenging to maintain.
  • Example: Fibroblasts from human skin tissue.

• Secondary Cell Culture
  • Derived from a primary culture by subculturing (passaging).
  • Often more homogeneous but may lose some original characteristics over time.
• Continuous Cell Lines
  • Derived from primary cultures but have undergone mutations or transformation.
  • Can proliferate indefinitely under the right conditions.
  • Example: HeLa cells (from cervical cancer tissue).

2. Based on the Type of Culture

• Adherent (Monolayer) Cultures
  • Cells attach to the surface of a culture vessel.
  • Common for anchorage-dependent cells, like epithelial or fibroblast cells.
  • Example: Kidney epithelial cells.

• Suspension Cultures
  • Cells grow freely in the culture medium.
  • Common for non-anchorage-dependent cells, like hematopoietic cells or cancer cells.
  • Example: Hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies.

3. Based on the Purpose or Function

• Organ Culture
  • A whole or part of an organ is cultured to maintain its structure and function.
  • Used in developmental biology and pharmacology.
• Explant Culture
  • Tissue fragments are cultured to allow outgrowth of cells.
  • Example: Neural explants for nerve cell studies.
• 3D Cultures
  • Cells are grown in a three-dimensional scaffold to mimic in vivo conditions.
  • More physiologically relevant than 2D cultures.
  • Example: Organoids for disease modeling.
• Co-Culture
  • Two or more cell types are cultured together to study interactions.
  • Example: Cancer cells with immune cells.

4. Based on Cellular Characteristics

• Stem Cell Cultures
  • Focused on undifferentiated cells with self-renewal and differentiation capabilities.
  • Examples: Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
• Cancer Cell Cultures
  • Focused on malignant cells for studying cancer biology and therapies.
  • Example: MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line).
• Genetically Engineered Cultures
  • Cultures of cells with specific genetic modifications.
  • Used for drug discovery or to study genetic disorders.

5. Specialized Cultures

• Serum-Free Cultures
  • Grown in media without serum, reducing variability and potential contaminants.
  • Used for producing vaccines or therapeutic proteins.
• Organotypic Cultures
  • Mimic the architecture and function of specific tissues.
  • Example: Skin equivalents for wound healing studies.

Each type of cell culture is chosen based on its suitability for specific research goals or industrial applications.