Soluviljely

Soluviljely, or cell culture, is the controlled growth of cells outside their organism in a suitable artificial environment. It includes animal, plant, and microbial cells and is a foundational technique in biology and medicine.

Cells are grown in sterile vessels such as petri dishes or flasks with a growth medium that supplies energy, nutrients, and often serum. Cultures are maintained under controlled temperature, CO2, and humidity. Two broad types are primary cultures derived directly from tissue and immortalized cell lines that can proliferate for many passages. Cells can be grown as adherent monolayers or in suspension.

Uses include basic research into cell physiology, drug screening, production of vaccines, therapeutic proteins, genetic engineering, toxicology testing, and regenerative medicine.

Plant, animal, and microbial cell culture each have specific media and conditions. Stem cell culture supports undifferentiated cells and controlled differentiation; induced pluripotent stem cells broaden capabilities.

Work with human cells is governed by biosafety and ethical guidelines, with approvals and informed consent often required. Practices emphasize sterility to prevent contamination and ensure reproducibility; cross-contamination and misidentification of cell lines remain concerns.

Historically, advances in aseptic technique and defined media in the 20th century expanded soluviljely from a niche procedure to a central tool in biomedical science. Ongoing developments include organoids, 3D cultures, and microfluidic systems.