Volume 115 - Cell Cultures and Cell Banks

Take it to the Bank!

Get Cultured on Cell Culture

Cell Culture is the process of growing cells derived from animals or plants in an artificial environment. By allowing the cells to grow in a controlled setting, they can be used as a model system to study basic biology and biochemistry, the interactions between cells and disease-causing agents (bacteria, viruses, etc.), the effect of drugs, the process of aging, and so much more! Read the steps below to get cultured on cell culture!

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Isolation

The desired cells are removed directly from the tissue of the animal/plant or extracted using an enzymatic or other technique that differentiates the desired cells from the rest of the tissue (ex. size, ionic charge).

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Primary Culture

The isolated cells are placed on a controlled surface called a substrate and allowed to replicate. These newly grown cells can be separated, or subcultured, onto additional surfaces to continue multiplying.

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Cell Lines

Cells can continue to be subcultured multiple times. As they are cloned, only the strongest cells continue to survive (think Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and “survival of the fittest”). This results in a uniform cell line.

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Immortal Cell Lines

Cells can only duplicate so many times before they age and die, creating a finite cell line.

If cells go through a process called transformation during which they are combined with viral gene components, they can divide an infinite number of times and become a continuous cell line.

Common Cell Lines

HeLa Cells Icon

HeLa Cells – A widely used continuous cell line isolated from cervical cancer patient Henrietta Lacks in 1951.

CHO Cells Icon

CHO Cells – Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are the most common mammalian continuous cell line used for mass production due to their ability to produce proteins that can function in the human body.

Bacteria, Molds & Yeasts Icon

Bacteria, Molds & Yeasts – A variety of microorganisms are used as the production cultures for fermentation of antibiotics. (And beer!)

Mastering the Purpose of Cell Banks

Now that scientists have immortal cell lines, what do they do with them? Put simply, the possibilities are endless! Since all the cells are identical and can grow indefinitely, these cells can be used as a consistent basis for researching cells and the components they make.

That said, cells a very particular about the environments they will and won’t grow in. Given the right conditions and nutrients, cells will naturally grow/multiply over time. So, what do scientists do in order to preserve cells for future use and ensure they will always have cells from the same line available for their work? Take them to the bank, of course! A cell bank, that is. Check out the graphic below to learn more about how cell banks work!

Master Cell Bank

Master Cell Bank

To create a Master Cell Bank, the cell line is cultured and divided into hundreds of individual master cell cultures. These are stored in a protective solution in a cryogenic freezer to preserve them for future use.

Working Cell Bank

Working Cell Bank

A single vial from the Master Cell Bank is sent to the lab/manufacturing site and cultured into hundreds of working cell cultures that make up the Working Cell Bank. Each vial acts as the “seed” for a single experiment or batch of product.

The cell bank process allows thousands of batches of product to be made from a singular vial of master cells! When it’s time to use the cells, a working cell vial is thawed and acts as the basis for the fermentation process.

Vision.
Expertise.
Success.

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