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| Animal cell |
Animal cell culture is a biotechnology technique to culture animal cells in artificially controlled environmental conditions. In this article, you will read the uses, types, and procedures of animal cell culture. Applications of animal cell culture have made a significant impact in the health sector.
Animal Cell
This technique is applied in biotechnology to culture cells of animals in an artificial environment. Eukaryotic cells are used in animal cell culture. The animal cell technique is the most commonly used for isolating cells and growing them in a sterile environment.
The cells are isolated and then cultured in an in-vitro atmosphere.
Animal cell cultures are mostly used in cancer studies, the development of vaccines, and gene therapy. Animal
cells are more complex to grow on artificial media because they need more
nutrients and growth regulators. Every form of the complex structure of animal
cells can be cultured such as organs and tissues.
Uses of Animal Cell Culture
Animals are not used in research studies because of the
utilization of animal cells in testing and other procedures.
Studies on cell metabolism and biochemistry of cells are
made possible by animal cell culture.
Animal cells allow the recognition of different types of
cells due to the chromosomal markers and can detect the effects of proteins and drugs
on various types of cells.
Animal culture enables manipulation of various physiological
parameters such as heat, pH, and osmotic pressure due to which animal cell
culture is preferred over other biotechnological techniques.
Animal cells produce a vast amount of proteins and antibodies on a large scale which otherwise needs a high cost to be produced.
Only a single cell can be used to perform tests and provide accurate results because cells constantly reproduce.
Types of Animal Cell
There are basically two types of animal cell culture which are:
Primary Culture
This is the initial culture and it allows the cells to grow
on a medium at controlled conditions. The culture is developed from original
cells and can be subcultured to create new cultures that will rather survive
and continue to expand indefinitely or may be diminished.
These cells have a lower mortality rate and are vulnerable to
viral and bacterial infections.
Secondary Culture
When the primary culture is subcultured over a span of time
in an artificial media, then secondary cultures are obtained. Secondary cell
cultures are better than primary cultures because they are more accessible, simpler to grow, and could be preserved. These cells have longer life due to the
availability of proper nutrient and growth supplements.
Secondary culture provides an ideal cell concentration for sustainable growth and cells are less prone to viral and bacterial contaminations. These cells undergo transformation because of subculturing results in immortal cells in some situations.
The procedure of Animal cell culture
Isolation of cells
Cells are isolated and grown in an artificial medium. The
culture media is sterilized with 70% ethanol. The media is provided with
vitamins, growth regulators, hormones, and organic and inorganic salts. Different
species require different temperatures for growth and development. Mammals
that are cold-blooded grow at low temperatures and warm-blooded animals are
grown at room temperatures.
Cell Suspension Culture
Fresh cells are taken from organs to create primary and
secondary cell cultures. First enzymes or chemical disinfectors are used to
eliminate cells. Now cells are suspended in solution form. Then liquid buffer
is used to wash the suspended cells. A sterilized culture media is applied to the cell suspension and placed in a culture vessel overnight at a moderate
temperature.
Cell Preservation
The culture media in which the cells were nurtured at room
temperature are now placed in a warm water bath. The cells which are being
frozen are now warmed up at the appropriate temperatures. The tube in which cells are placed is
sterilized with 70% ethanol. The cell suspension media would be incubated
overnight again.
The conserved cell culture could be employed later for subculturing.
Applications of Animal Cell Culture
Applications of animal cell culture have made advancements in creating therapeutic antibodies, proteins, treatment of cancer, and other pharmaceutical products.
Ideal System
Cells grown through this technique are used for exploring cells and organs, presented as models for studying the interaction between pathogens and host cells,
drug effects on particular cells, aging processes, and consequences caused due to changes in the composition of cells.
Research on Cancer cells
Both cancer cells and normal cells can be cultured on
culture media. By treatment with specific chemicals, and radiation normal cells
can be cultured to produce cancerous cells. Animal cell culture can be utilized
to research differences between normal and cancerous cells and can be used as a
test sample to study proficiency of cancer medications and treatment methods.
Genetic Therapy
The advancement of gene therapy in animal cell culture has
made it possible to alter the dysfunctional gene with that of the functional gene. First, take cells from a patient who does not
have a functional gene and then cultured those cells in an artificial supplement
media, and then implant them back into the patient.
Manufacturing of Vaccines and Antibodies
Vaccines are being manufactured on an industrial scale by using
animal cell culture technique which includes poliovirus, chicken pox, cholera,
hepatitis B, and hepatitis A vaccines. To produce recombinant vaccines on a big
scale, continuous cell lines are developed.
It involves the creation of organisms that have been modified
to produce proteins, hormones, and monoclonal antibodies.
Identification of Viruses
The isolation and detection of viruses and research on how
viruses spread and infect living things are one of the main applications of cell culture techniques.
Drug Testing
Animal cell cultures or animal test models are employed to
research the impact of drug medication, and chemical reactions on different
types of cell growth and survival.
Manufacturing of Recombinant Proteins and Biopesticides
Animal cell lines are employed for producing recombinant
proteins among them the most commonly found proteins are hamster kidney and CHOcells. It uses the technique of genetic engineering to produce massive quantities
of new protein.
Animal cell lines with fast growth rates can be used to make biopesticides.
Genetic Testing
The diagnostic technique allows genetic testing and
early detection of fetal abnormalities by taking and culturing fetal cells from
pregnant women. These cells can be used
for the analysis of chromosomal and genetic abnormalities using molecular methods
like karyotyping, and chromosome mapping.
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