Mammalian cell culture

Abstract

Mammalian cell culture is used widely in academic, medical and industrial settings. It has provided a means to study the physiology and biochemistry of the cell and developments in the fields of cell and molecular biology have required the use of reproducible model systems that only cultured cell lines can provide. For medical use, cell culture provides test systems to assess the efficacy and toxicology of potential new drugs. Large-scale mammalian cell culture has allowed production of biologically active proteins, initially production of vaccines and then recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies; recent innovative uses of cell culture include tissue engineering to generate tissue substitutes. This chapter will briefly review these areas. © 2008 Humana Press.