Introduction

Cell cultures are remarkable tools in biological and biochemical research. Cellular models are often used for understanding physiological processes, biochemical production, antibody production, vaccine production, and cancer research, along with a multitude of other uses. Additionally, they are also useful to understand the mechanism of signal transduction, protein synthesis, drug action (pharmacology and toxicology), drug metabolism, cell–cell interactions, and genetics. Furthermore, cell culture also provides future avenues for medical treatment including cell-based therapy and regenerative medicine. These are the reasons why in vitro propagation of cells becomes an essential requirement for every biochemical lab. Such technology provides a user-friendly and relatively cheap tool to examine the biological issues, overriding the legal, moral, and ethical concerns related to in vivo studies. In a cell culture experiment, cells are provided with a conducive environment to grow, different from their native environment. This is widely referred to as cell culturing and consists of several steps of isolating cells from their native environment; they will then be maintained under precise conditions and nurtured with additives, in an appropriate medium.

Cells are the smallest structural and functional units of any organism. After isolation from their respective tissues (plants and animals), they can be grown (cultured and differentiated) in an artificial media (mixture of buffers and nutrients). Ross Harrison (1907) first developed a technique for tissue culture called the “hanging drop technique.” He placed a small tissue in a medium (containing serum) from which cells migrated to the surrounding environment. Carrel and Lindbergh (1935), further developed cell culture technique. and then utilized it to build a vaccine. Their research revolutionized the study and improved understanding of cell cultures. In the 1940s and 1950s, several protocols for assays were developed to examine viral growth (Salvador Luria and Renato Dulbecco). Later, more techniques were developed to examine the different characteristics of cells including growth, differentiation, protein production, and cell death. Since its inception in the twentieth century, cell culture based techniques has been invaluable in the development of basic virology, vaccine development, disease modeling, pathogenesis and drug development.

Cells are isolated from animals, microbes or plants. Once isolated, all cells require aseptic techniques, and viable growth and proliferation conditions.