Advances in Cell Culture: More than a Century after Cultivating Cells

Abstract

To elucidate and understand complex physiological mechanisms, in vivo research is the gold standard. However, in 1907, Harrison started the in vitro cell culture as we know today, opening a path for new assays and techniques. This was a major advance in the scientific field. The possibility to monitor cell growth, differentiation and response to any number of stimuli was a leap for drug trials and screening. More than 100 years has passed, and various cell cultures techniques were developed and perfected. Diverse culture mediums and culture conditions were elaborated to attend the scientist needs. Among those advances, three-dimensional cell culture was a major breakthrough that enables a better representation of the in vivo microenvironmental characteristics. With those continuous advances in cell culture, in vitro assays are getting more reliable providing results that better represent in vivo responses.