cocultured

Cocultured refers to a condition in which two or more distinct cell types or organisms are grown together in the same culture system or in closely connected compartments. The goal is to study interactions such as signaling, metabolic exchange, differentiation, or immune responses that cannot be observed in monoculture.

Coculture is widely used across biology and medicine, including cell biology, oncology, immunology, neuroscience, microbiology, and plant sciences. In mammalian cell research, coculture can involve direct contact between cell types or indirect interaction through shared media, extracellular vesicles, or soluble factors. In plant science, root-associated microbes and plant cells may be cocultured to study symbiotic relationships.

Common methods include direct coculture, where cells are plated together, and indirect coculture, using transwell inserts or conditioned media to allow exchange of soluble factors without physical contact. Another approach uses feeder layers to support differentiation or growth.

Applications include modeling the tumor microenvironment to study cancer-stroma interactions, guiding stem cell differentiation, evaluating immune-tumor interactions, studying host-microbe relationships, and exploring plant-microbe symbioses. Coculture systems can improve physiological relevance compared with monocultures and are often used in drug testing and tissue engineering.

Limitations include increased complexity, variability between preparations, and potential for cross-contamination between cell populations. Standardization of cell ratios, media requirements, and incubation conditions can be challenging. Proper controls and validation are essential for interpreting results.