cell culture (redirected from Cell line, tumor)

culture /cul·ture/ (kul´cher)

1. the propagation of microorganisms or of living tissue cells in media conducive to their growth.

2. to induce such propagation.

3. the product of such propagation.cul´tural

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cell culture  a growth of cells in vitro; although the cells proliferate they do not organize into tissue.

continuous flow culture  the cultivation of bacteria in a continuous flow of fresh medium to maintain bacterial growth in logarithmic phase.

hanging-drop culture  a culture in which the material to be cultivated is inoculated into a drop of fluid attached to a coverglass inverted over a hollow slide.

plate culture  one grown on a medium, usually agar or gelatin, on a Petri dish.

primary culture  a cell or tissue culture started from material taken directly from an organism, as opposed to that from an explant from an organism.

pure culture  a culture of a single cell species, without presence of any contaminants.

slant culture  one made on the surface of solidified medium in a tube which has been tilted to provide a greater surface area for growth.

stab culture  one in which the medium is inoculated by thrusting a needle deep into its substance.

streak culture  one in which the medium is inoculated by drawing an infected wire across it.

suspension culture  a culture in which cells multiply while suspended in a suitable medium.

tissue culture  maintenance or growth of tissue, organ primordia, or the whole or part of an organ in vitro so as to preserve its architecture and function.

type culture  a culture of a species of microorganism usually maintained in a central collection of type or standard cultures.

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cell culture

n.

1. The maintenance or growth of dispersed cells in a medium after removal from the body.

2. A culture of such cells.

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cell culture

Etymology: L, cella, storeroom, colere, to cultivate

living cells that are maintained in vitro in artificial media of serum and nutrients for the study and growth of certain strains of microorganisms or for experiments in controlling diseases, such as cancer. They are routinely used to culture viruses that infect patients.

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cell, centrioles of (sen´trēōls),

n.pl cylinder-shaped organelles that contain microtubules. Function is to organize spindle fibers during cell division.

cell, connective tissue,

n the fibroblast, which for purposes of clarity is characterized by such terms as
perivascular connective tissue cell or
young connective tissue cell.

cell count,

n the number of cells contained in a unit volume; usually refers to red and/or white blood cells in a unit volume of blood.

cell culture,

n living cells that are maintained in vitro in artificial media of serum and nutrients for the study and growth of certain strains, experiments in controlling diseases, or study of the reaction to certain drugs or agents.

cell cycle,

n the sequence of events that occur during the growth and division of tissue cells.

cell, cytoplasm of

n the aqueous part of the cell in which are suspended all the organelles and inclusions. Site of all metabolic activities in the cell.

cell death,

n the point in the process of dying at which vital functions have ceased at the cellular level. It precludes the use of tissue or organs as transplant donors.

cell, defense,

n a cell, mobilized within inflamed, irritated, or otherwise diseased tissue, that acts as a protective element to neutralize or wall off the foreign irritant. Defense cells include plasma cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and the cells of the reticuloendothelial system.

cell, dendritic (sel dendrit´ik),

n the immune cells involved in the activation of T cells and B cells. They are primarily found in exposed tissue such as skin, the lungs, the stomach and intestines, and the membranes of the nose, but they are also found in blood. Not to be confused with dendrites.

cell differentiation,

n the development of the cells into the various basic cell units of tissue: the epithelial cell and the nerve cell, which arise from the ectodermal tissue layer of the embryo; and the blood, muscle, bone, cartilage, and other connective tissue cells, which arise from the mesodermal tissue of the embryo. The mature tissue cell has many intermediary, transitional forms that are sequential in their development from the primitive, less differentiated anlage cell forms. These intermediary forms are evident clinically in disease in blood dyscrasias, tumors, and inflammation and in health in the normal processes of growth, development, healing, and repair.

cell, endoplasmic reticulum of,

n See endoplasmic reticulum.

cell, endosteal,

n a reticular cell that is modified and identified by its location; the endosteum is a condensation of the stroma of the bone marrow.

cell, filaments of,

n.pl threadlike structures the function of which is to support the cytoskeleton; also integral parts of intercellular junctions.

cell, germ,

n a cell of an organism the function of which is to reproduce an entity similar to the organism from which the germ cell originated. Germ cells are characteristically haploid.

cell, giant,

n a large cell frequently having several nuclei.

cell, Golgi complex in,

n See Golgi apparatus.

cell homeostasis,

n See homeostasis, cell.

cell, homeostasis of

n See homeostasis, cell.

cell, inclusions of,

n.pl nonliving bodies, by-products of cellular metabolism present in the cytoplasm.

cell, Langerhans,

n.pr star-shaped cells of unknown function that appear to be permanent residents of the epithelium.

cell, lysosomes in

n.pl membranous organelles produced from the Golgi complex; contain hydrolytic enzymes, which aid intracellular digestion.

cell membrane,

n the outer covering of a cell. The membrane controls the exchange of materials between the cell and its environment.

cell, membrane of, transport through,

n the movement of biomolecules into and out of cells. See diffusion, osmosis, active transport, phagocytosis.

cell, mesenchymal

n an embryonic connective tissue cell with an outstanding capacity for proliferation and capable of further differentiation into reticular cells or osteoblasts. When persisting in the adult organism, the cells are usually arranged in loose connective tissue along the small blood vessels or in reticular fibers. They are identified by their location and capacity to differentiate into other cell types, such as smooth muscle cells in the formation of new arteries, phagocytes in inflammatory processes, and bone cells in the formation of new bone tissue.

cell, microtubules of,

n.pl See microtubule.

cell, mitochondria of,

n.pl See mitochondria.

cell, mucous,

n a mucous-secreting cell.

cell, nucleus of,

n See nucleus.

cell, outer, of the dental papillae,

n an outer cell of the dental papilla within the concavity of the enamel organ that will differentiate into dentin-secreting cells or odontoblasts.

cell, plasma,

n a cell of disputed origin (lymphatic versus undifferentiated mesenchymal cell) that is seen in chronic inflammation and certain disease states and tumors but not normally in the circulating blood. The cell is larger than a lymphocyte and has a cartwheel-like, eccentric nucleus with basophilic nuclear chromatin peripherally located. The cells synthesize antibodies (immunoglobulins).

cell, progenitor,

n a cell that is able to transform into different types of cells through replication and differentiation.

cell, replication,

n See mitosis.

cell, reticular,

n a cell of reticular connective tissue, such as in the stroma of the bone marrow, that retains both osteogenic and hematopoietic potencies; it is identified by its location, morphology, potency, and direct origin from mesenchymal cells.

cell, serous,

n a specialized glandular epithelial cell that produces enzymatic secretions. These cells have a rounded nucleus and special secretory granules, or vesicles, in their cytoplasm. Serous cells include the acinar cells of the salivary glands and pancreas, gastric chief cells, and intestinal Paneth cells.

cell, somatic

n a cell that forms parts of the body, including the cells of the skin, bone, blood, connective tissue, and internal organs. From the Greek word
soma, meaning “body.”

cell, stem,

n.pl the cells in the bone marrow from which all blood cells originate.

cell, typical,

n See cell.

cell wall,

n See cell membrane.

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cell culture

the artificial culture of living tissue outside a living body. Animal cells were originally grown in culture as explant cultures, i.e. small pieces of tissue. If pieces of tissue are treated with enzymes such as trypsin, single cell suspensions can be obtained which will settle onto glass or plastic surfaces and grow to form a monolayer cell culture. Primary cell cultures can be passaged to form secondary cell cultures. Cells in culture can be passaged a finite number of times before reaching a crisis which can be compared with aging. The number of passages, before reaching crisis, has been termed the Hayflick limit and is related to the longevity of the species from which the tissue was originally derived. Within the Hayflick limit the cells are referred to as a cell strain. Cells that survive the crisis and continue to grow are referred to as a cell line. Cell lines can also be derived directly from cancer cells. There are many properties that distinguish cell lines from cell strains, including altered chromosome number, changes at the cell membrane, and reduced requirement for certain growth factors.