tissueculture

Tissue culture is the growth and maintenance of tissue fragments, cells, or organs in an artificial, sterile environment outside the organism, typically on specially formulated media under controlled temperature, light, and gas exchange. It encompasses both plant and animal tissue culture and is used for studying cellular processes, cloning, and the production of biological material. Initiation begins with surface sterilization of the tissue, followed by transfer to a nutrient medium that supports growth. Depending on the tissue and goals, cultures may form callus, develop shoots or roots in plants, or yield adherent or suspension cell lines in animals.

Plant tissue culture, or micropropagation, is used to produce large numbers of uniform, disease-free plants from a small explant. Steps include initiation, proliferation, rooting, and acclimatization to soil. Media commonly contain macronutrients, micronutrients, sugar, and plant hormones such as cytokinins and auxins to direct development. Advantages include rapid multiplication, year-round production, and conservation of rare species; drawbacks include genetic variation (somaclonal variation) and high initial costs.

Animal tissue culture involves culturing primary cells or established cell lines in defined or serum-containing media, usually in a CO2-controlled incubator at human body temperature. Techniques emphasize aseptic handling, regular monitoring for contamination, and subculture to maintain proliferating cultures. Applications span basic research, vaccine production, toxicology testing, and production of therapeutic proteins. Ethical and biosafety considerations, including the use of animal-derived materials and containment of potentially pathogenic cells, are integral to practice.