Cell culture is a technology that simulates the in vivo environment (such as sterility, suitable temperature, pH and certain nutritional conditions, etc.) in vitro to enable cells to survive, grow, reproduce and maintain their structure and function. Cell culture plays an important role in the fields of biology, medicine, and biotechnology, and is a widely used technical method for research and applications in these fields.
1. Classification by cell source 1. Definition of primary cell culture: Primary cell culture refers to the process of removing cells from the organism and cultivating them in a suitable environment simulated in vitro. These cells typically come from tissue blocks, blood, or other biological samples. Features: Primary cells retain many characteristics of organisms, such as gene expression, metabolic pathways, and cell-cell interactions. However, their ability to grow and divide is limited and susceptible to culture conditions. Application: Primary cell culture is widely used in basic research, disease model construction, drug screening and other fields. 2. Definition of passage cell culture: Passage cell culture refers to the process of continuously culturing cells that have been passaged a certain number of times in vitro. These cells are usually derived from established cell lines or strains. Features: Passaged cells have stronger growth and division capabilities, and the culture conditions are relatively stable. However, as the number of passages increases, cells may undergo genetic variation and phenotypic changes. Application: Passage cell culture has wide application value in the fields of cell biology, molecular biology and biotechnology.
2. Classification by culture methods 1. Adherent culture definition: Adherent culture refers to the way cells grow by attaching to solid or semi-solid substrates (such as culture bottles, culture dishes, etc.) during the culture process. Characteristics: Most animal cells are anchorage-dependent cells, which require attachment to a matrix to grow and divide normally. Adherent culture can simulate the growth environment of cells in the body and help cells maintain their structure and function. Application: Adherent culture is widely used in research in the fields of cell biology, immunology and oncology. 2. Definition of suspension culture: Suspension culture refers to a way in which cells do not attach to the matrix during the culture process, but grow freely floating in the culture medium. Features: Suspension culture is suitable for cells that do not need to be attached to a matrix to grow, such as certain tumor cells and stem cells. Suspension culture allows for convenient cell counting, separation, and purification. Application: Suspension culture has important application value in the fields of cell proliferation, cell differentiation and cell therapy.
3. Other culture methods 1. Definition of spheroid cell culture: Spheroid cell culture refers to culturing cells in a three-dimensional structure to form a spheroid structure similar to tissues in the body. Features: Spheroid cell culture can simulate the three-dimensional growth environment of cells in the body, which is beneficial to studying processes such as cell differentiation, migration and interaction. Application: Spheroid cell culture has broad application prospects in the fields of oncology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. 2. Definition of microcarrier cell culture: Microcarrier cell culture refers to a method of cultivating cells on tiny carrier particles so that the cells can attach and grow on the surface of the carrier. Features: Microcarrier cell culture can greatly increase the culture density and yield of cells, and at the same time facilitate cell separation and purification. Application: Microcarrier cell culture has important application value in the fields of biological product production, cell therapy and gene therapy.
4. Opentrons' automated liquid handling system Opentrons' automated liquid handling system, such as the OT-2 automated pipetting robot, can be highly customized and used in the automated process of cell culture. 1. OT-2 automated pipetting robot (1) Core functions: OT-2 is a highly flexible automated pipetting robot that can perform precise liquid handling tasks, including pipetting, mixing, dispensing, etc. (2) Customized protocols: Users can easily create customized experimental protocols through Opentrons’ online protocol editor to adapt to different cell culture needs. (3) Compatibility: OT-2 is compatible with a variety of commonly used laboratory consumables and equipment, such as standard SBS format plates, pipettes, etc., making it easy to integrate into existing cell culture workflows. 2. Auxiliary cell culture process (1) Medium preparation: Automatic preparation and distribution of medium to reduce manual operation errors and improve the consistency and repeatability of experiments. (2) Cell passage: Automate the liquid handling steps during cell passage, such as preparation of cell suspension, replacement of culture medium, etc. (3) Cell counting and plating: Combining a cell counter and an automated pipetting system to achieve automation of cell counting and precise control of plating. (4) Cell culture condition control: Although OT-2 itself does not directly control cell culture conditions such as temperature, humidity, and gas environment, it can be integrated with other laboratory equipment (such as incubators, temperature control modules, etc.) to jointly build a complete Cell culture workstation. 3. Practical application case aAIM Biotech’s idenTx system: AIM Biotech used the Opentrons OT-2 automated liquid handling system to automate basic to complex human cell-based detection steps, including cell culture experiments on the idenTx organ-on-chip platform . This application demonstrates the potential and value of Opentrons equipment in cell culture automation.
With the continuous advancement and innovation of technology, cell culture methods are developing in a more efficient, precise and personalized direction. From traditional two-dimensional adherent culture to three-dimensional spheroid culture, microcarrier culture and large-scale bioreactor culture, the optimization and innovation of each method are constantly expanding the boundaries of cell culture, allowing us to have a deeper understanding of cell culture. Behavior, function and interaction.
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