Tissue culture

Tissue culture is a method of biological research in which fragments of tissue from an animal or plant are transferred to an artificial environment in which they can continue to survive and function. The cultured tissue may consist of a single cell, a population of cells, or a whole or part of an organ. Cells in culture may multiply; change size, form, or function; exhibit specialized activity (muscle cells contract, nerve cells transmit impulses); or interact with each other.

History

The term "tissue culture" was coined by American pathologist Alexis Carrel in 1912. Although the concept of tissue culture was first proposed by Wilhelm Roux in 1885, it was Carrel who contributed significantly to the development of this method.

Types of Tissue Culture

There are several types of tissue culture methods. They include:

• Organ culture: This is a development from tissue culture methods of maintaining intact organs in vitro.
• Cell culture: This is the complex process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions.
• Embryo culture: This is the in vitro development of embryos.
• Meristem culture: This is a method used to produce virus-free plants.

Applications

Tissue culture is used in a variety of applications, including:

• Vaccine production
• Cancer research
• Cloning of plants
• Drug testing and development
• Stem cell research

See Also

• Cell culture
• Organ culture
• Embryo culture
• Meristem culture

References

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