See also: Culture (homonymy)

In Biology, the cellular culture indicates a whole of Technique S used to make grow cell S out of their organization (" ex-vivo") or of their medium of origin, with a Scientific aim of Experimentation or of In vitro fertilization.

Origin of the cells

The cells put in culture can be:

• of the free Micro-organism S (Bacterium S or Yeast S)
• of the cells " saines" taken coldly organization (Biopsy,…), one speaks then about " primary Culture ". These cells cannot usually be maintained in culture indefinitely, in particular because of their limited number of divisions (Limite of Hayflick).
• of the cells having a capacity of not limited division (one speaks d'" immortality in culture"). They are cellular lines. The lines are either of the cancer cells, or of the cells in the process of canceration, or of the returned healthy cells " immortelles" artificially.
• Of the sections of Body S (thickness optimized according to fabric)

General stages of the cellular culture

One or more bulbs of cells are defrosted. This bulb contains cells in a culture medium adapted + a protective agent (which makes it possible to avoid a too great mortality during congelation). After defrosting one eliminates the protective agent (DMSO for example, which is in addition toxic for the cells) by centrifugation then, one then adds fresh culture medium adapted. Lastly, one gives the cells to the incubator to cultivate them.

Culture of the micro-organisms

Most of the time, the micro-organisms are cultivated in suspension in a culture medium or semi-solid nutritive support in boxes of $petri. The conditions physico - chemical S of growth of the bacteria in culture varies much, as well in term of Température, Atmospheric pressure, Salinité of the medium, composition in Biomolécule S, and even sometimes Luminosité (example of certain cyanobacteries).

See also the article on the microbiological Culture.

Culture of the animal cells

The animal cells are generally cultivated in Incubateur S, at a temperature of 37°C and in a very wet atmosphere with controlled content of CO2, often 5%.

Certain cells are cultivated in suspension in their nutritive medium (not-adherent cells), others on treated plastic S offering to them capacities of Adhérence. These Support S can take the shape of boxes of various formats or " flasks".

Particular techniques of culture can be applied to certain cells, either in an obligatory way for their survival, or to improve these conditions or control of some Paramètre S during the experiments:

• optimization of the conditions " atmosphériques" (addition of Oxygen…)

• optimization of the composition of the nutritive mediums (addition of certain hormones,…)
• optimization of the supports (composition in biomolécules,…)
• culture under Agitation
• Co-culture with cells " nourricières"
• culture on fabrics beforehand " tués" by a process of Congelation /d econgelation
• Inclusion in droplets of Alginate
• …

Simple: Concealment culture