NCERT Textbook: Animal Cell Culture | Biotechnology for Class 12 - NEET PDF Download

 Page 1


Animal cell culture is described as the in vitro maintenance 
and proliferation of animal cells that will continue to grow 
outside the living organism if supplied with appropriate 
nutrients and growth conditions. The process of growing 
cells under laboratory conditions is termed as Cell Culture. 
It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the 
living). It deals with the isolation of cells from animal 
tissue, surgical intervention for removal of tissues or 
organs from an animal and their placement into an 
environment (media) in order to enhance their survival 
and proliferation.
A homogenous population of cells is termed as a clone, 
when it is derived from a single parental cell. Therefore, all 
cells within a clonal population are genetically identical. 
The growth rate of animal cells is relatively slow and usually 
requires 18 to 24 hours to divide. This makes animal cell 
culture vulnerable to contamination, as a small number of 
bacteria would soon outgrow a larger population of animal 
cells.
8.1 Historical 
Perspective 
8.2 Culture Media
8.3 Physical 
Environment for 
Culturing Animal 
Cells 
8.4 Equipment Used 
for Cell Culture
8.5 Types of Animal 
Cell Cultures and 
Cell Lines
8.6 Cell Viability 
Determination
8.7 Advantages 
of Animal Cell 
Culture
8.8 Applications 
of Animal Cell 
Culture 
Animal Cell Culture
8
Chapter 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   185 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Page 2


Animal cell culture is described as the in vitro maintenance 
and proliferation of animal cells that will continue to grow 
outside the living organism if supplied with appropriate 
nutrients and growth conditions. The process of growing 
cells under laboratory conditions is termed as Cell Culture. 
It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the 
living). It deals with the isolation of cells from animal 
tissue, surgical intervention for removal of tissues or 
organs from an animal and their placement into an 
environment (media) in order to enhance their survival 
and proliferation.
A homogenous population of cells is termed as a clone, 
when it is derived from a single parental cell. Therefore, all 
cells within a clonal population are genetically identical. 
The growth rate of animal cells is relatively slow and usually 
requires 18 to 24 hours to divide. This makes animal cell 
culture vulnerable to contamination, as a small number of 
bacteria would soon outgrow a larger population of animal 
cells.
8.1 Historical 
Perspective 
8.2 Culture Media
8.3 Physical 
Environment for 
Culturing Animal 
Cells 
8.4 Equipment Used 
for Cell Culture
8.5 Types of Animal 
Cell Cultures and 
Cell Lines
8.6 Cell Viability 
Determination
8.7 Advantages 
of Animal Cell 
Culture
8.8 Applications 
of Animal Cell 
Culture 
Animal Cell Culture
8
Chapter 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   185 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 186
Box 1
Immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks
An African–American woman named Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal 
cervical cancer in 1951. She was treated at John Hopkins University by a doctor named 
George Gey who snipped cells from her cervix without her permission. Gey discovered 
that Lacks’ cells could not only be kept alive, but also could be grown inde??nitely.
For the past many years, ‘Lacks’ cells have been cultured and used in various 
experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the 
live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialised and have generated millions of dollars 
in pro??t for the medical researchers who patented h er tissue.
Essential requirements for optimal growth of cells are 
regulated temperature, proper substrate for an attachment 
of cells on appropriate growth medium and an incubator 
that maintains the correct pH and de??ned osmolality. 
Cell culture helps to study the basis of regulation of cell 
proliferation, differentiation, and product formation in 
controlled conditions and therefore, has gained a dominant 
position in many branches of the life science research. 
This technology has now emerged as a tool in the area 
of molecular genetics, immunological analysis, surgery, 
bioengineering, and pharmaceutical industry. 
8.1 Historical Pers Pective The animal cell culture became a routine laboratory 
technique in 1950s after George Gey established the ??rst 
human cell line (HeLa) from cervix cancer of the patient, 
Henrietta Lacks, that led to several important discoveries 
in medical sciences. The need for cell culture, especially at 
large scale, became apparent with the need for viral vaccines. 
The cell culture technologies have been used in 
various areas, including the assessment of the ef??cacy 
and toxicity of new drugs, manufacture of vaccines and 
biopharmaceuticals, etc. With the development of cell 
culture technology, a variety of culture media have been 
designed. The culture medium supports cell survival and 
proliferation, as well as cellular functions.
Growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, epidermal 
growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, ??broblast 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   186 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Page 3


Animal cell culture is described as the in vitro maintenance 
and proliferation of animal cells that will continue to grow 
outside the living organism if supplied with appropriate 
nutrients and growth conditions. The process of growing 
cells under laboratory conditions is termed as Cell Culture. 
It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the 
living). It deals with the isolation of cells from animal 
tissue, surgical intervention for removal of tissues or 
organs from an animal and their placement into an 
environment (media) in order to enhance their survival 
and proliferation.
A homogenous population of cells is termed as a clone, 
when it is derived from a single parental cell. Therefore, all 
cells within a clonal population are genetically identical. 
The growth rate of animal cells is relatively slow and usually 
requires 18 to 24 hours to divide. This makes animal cell 
culture vulnerable to contamination, as a small number of 
bacteria would soon outgrow a larger population of animal 
cells.
8.1 Historical 
Perspective 
8.2 Culture Media
8.3 Physical 
Environment for 
Culturing Animal 
Cells 
8.4 Equipment Used 
for Cell Culture
8.5 Types of Animal 
Cell Cultures and 
Cell Lines
8.6 Cell Viability 
Determination
8.7 Advantages 
of Animal Cell 
Culture
8.8 Applications 
of Animal Cell 
Culture 
Animal Cell Culture
8
Chapter 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   185 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 186
Box 1
Immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks
An African–American woman named Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal 
cervical cancer in 1951. She was treated at John Hopkins University by a doctor named 
George Gey who snipped cells from her cervix without her permission. Gey discovered 
that Lacks’ cells could not only be kept alive, but also could be grown inde??nitely.
For the past many years, ‘Lacks’ cells have been cultured and used in various 
experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the 
live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialised and have generated millions of dollars 
in pro??t for the medical researchers who patented h er tissue.
Essential requirements for optimal growth of cells are 
regulated temperature, proper substrate for an attachment 
of cells on appropriate growth medium and an incubator 
that maintains the correct pH and de??ned osmolality. 
Cell culture helps to study the basis of regulation of cell 
proliferation, differentiation, and product formation in 
controlled conditions and therefore, has gained a dominant 
position in many branches of the life science research. 
This technology has now emerged as a tool in the area 
of molecular genetics, immunological analysis, surgery, 
bioengineering, and pharmaceutical industry. 
8.1 Historical Pers Pective The animal cell culture became a routine laboratory 
technique in 1950s after George Gey established the ??rst 
human cell line (HeLa) from cervix cancer of the patient, 
Henrietta Lacks, that led to several important discoveries 
in medical sciences. The need for cell culture, especially at 
large scale, became apparent with the need for viral vaccines. 
The cell culture technologies have been used in 
various areas, including the assessment of the ef??cacy 
and toxicity of new drugs, manufacture of vaccines and 
biopharmaceuticals, etc. With the development of cell 
culture technology, a variety of culture media have been 
designed. The culture medium supports cell survival and 
proliferation, as well as cellular functions.
Growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, epidermal 
growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, ??broblast 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   186 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Animal Cell Culture 187
growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor, and 
transforming growth factor (TGF) were discovered one 
after another and their addition led to increased cellular 
proliferation. In 1976, the development of serum-free 
media was accelerated. 
8.2 c ulture Media The most signi??cant and critical stage in cell culture is 
the selection of a suitable growth medium for their proper 
in vitro culture. Appropriate media selection will depend on 
the kind of cells to be cultured and on the requirement for 
culture, such as growth, differentiation and production of 
desired products like pharmaceutical compounds. A typical 
culture medium contains a complement of vitamins, amino 
acids, glucose, inorganic salts, serum (as a source of growth 
factors) and hormones. Additionally, medium helps to 
maintain the pH and the osmolality. Media can be natural 
consisting of natural biological substances, like plasma, 
serum and tissue extract or arti??cial/synthetic composed 
of a basal medium with supplements such as hormones, 
growth factors, serum etc.
Media supplements
As you know, the culture media contains a combination of 
amino acids, salts, glucose, vitamins and supplemented with 
other nutrients. The requirements for these components is 
based on the cell lines that are to be cultured and thus, 
there are extensive number of media formulations available. 
Some additional components (hormones, growth 
factors, and signaling substances), which are not present 
in the basal media and serum, are required that help in  
the proliferation and maintaining normal cell metabolism.
Serum is one of the most important components of cell 
culture media. Serum is considered a good source for amino 
acids, proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, hormones, 
growth factors, etc. Serum provides several binding proteins, 
like albumin, transferrin, which can carry other molecules 
into the cell. In addition, serum also supplements adhesion 
factors that help the cells to adhere to substratum before 
they begin to divide. Fetal bovine serum is commonly used 
to support the growth of cells in culture.
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   187 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Page 4


Animal cell culture is described as the in vitro maintenance 
and proliferation of animal cells that will continue to grow 
outside the living organism if supplied with appropriate 
nutrients and growth conditions. The process of growing 
cells under laboratory conditions is termed as Cell Culture. 
It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the 
living). It deals with the isolation of cells from animal 
tissue, surgical intervention for removal of tissues or 
organs from an animal and their placement into an 
environment (media) in order to enhance their survival 
and proliferation.
A homogenous population of cells is termed as a clone, 
when it is derived from a single parental cell. Therefore, all 
cells within a clonal population are genetically identical. 
The growth rate of animal cells is relatively slow and usually 
requires 18 to 24 hours to divide. This makes animal cell 
culture vulnerable to contamination, as a small number of 
bacteria would soon outgrow a larger population of animal 
cells.
8.1 Historical 
Perspective 
8.2 Culture Media
8.3 Physical 
Environment for 
Culturing Animal 
Cells 
8.4 Equipment Used 
for Cell Culture
8.5 Types of Animal 
Cell Cultures and 
Cell Lines
8.6 Cell Viability 
Determination
8.7 Advantages 
of Animal Cell 
Culture
8.8 Applications 
of Animal Cell 
Culture 
Animal Cell Culture
8
Chapter 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   185 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 186
Box 1
Immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks
An African–American woman named Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal 
cervical cancer in 1951. She was treated at John Hopkins University by a doctor named 
George Gey who snipped cells from her cervix without her permission. Gey discovered 
that Lacks’ cells could not only be kept alive, but also could be grown inde??nitely.
For the past many years, ‘Lacks’ cells have been cultured and used in various 
experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the 
live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialised and have generated millions of dollars 
in pro??t for the medical researchers who patented h er tissue.
Essential requirements for optimal growth of cells are 
regulated temperature, proper substrate for an attachment 
of cells on appropriate growth medium and an incubator 
that maintains the correct pH and de??ned osmolality. 
Cell culture helps to study the basis of regulation of cell 
proliferation, differentiation, and product formation in 
controlled conditions and therefore, has gained a dominant 
position in many branches of the life science research. 
This technology has now emerged as a tool in the area 
of molecular genetics, immunological analysis, surgery, 
bioengineering, and pharmaceutical industry. 
8.1 Historical Pers Pective The animal cell culture became a routine laboratory 
technique in 1950s after George Gey established the ??rst 
human cell line (HeLa) from cervix cancer of the patient, 
Henrietta Lacks, that led to several important discoveries 
in medical sciences. The need for cell culture, especially at 
large scale, became apparent with the need for viral vaccines. 
The cell culture technologies have been used in 
various areas, including the assessment of the ef??cacy 
and toxicity of new drugs, manufacture of vaccines and 
biopharmaceuticals, etc. With the development of cell 
culture technology, a variety of culture media have been 
designed. The culture medium supports cell survival and 
proliferation, as well as cellular functions.
Growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, epidermal 
growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, ??broblast 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   186 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Animal Cell Culture 187
growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor, and 
transforming growth factor (TGF) were discovered one 
after another and their addition led to increased cellular 
proliferation. In 1976, the development of serum-free 
media was accelerated. 
8.2 c ulture Media The most signi??cant and critical stage in cell culture is 
the selection of a suitable growth medium for their proper 
in vitro culture. Appropriate media selection will depend on 
the kind of cells to be cultured and on the requirement for 
culture, such as growth, differentiation and production of 
desired products like pharmaceutical compounds. A typical 
culture medium contains a complement of vitamins, amino 
acids, glucose, inorganic salts, serum (as a source of growth 
factors) and hormones. Additionally, medium helps to 
maintain the pH and the osmolality. Media can be natural 
consisting of natural biological substances, like plasma, 
serum and tissue extract or arti??cial/synthetic composed 
of a basal medium with supplements such as hormones, 
growth factors, serum etc.
Media supplements
As you know, the culture media contains a combination of 
amino acids, salts, glucose, vitamins and supplemented with 
other nutrients. The requirements for these components is 
based on the cell lines that are to be cultured and thus, 
there are extensive number of media formulations available. 
Some additional components (hormones, growth 
factors, and signaling substances), which are not present 
in the basal media and serum, are required that help in  
the proliferation and maintaining normal cell metabolism.
Serum is one of the most important components of cell 
culture media. Serum is considered a good source for amino 
acids, proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, hormones, 
growth factors, etc. Serum provides several binding proteins, 
like albumin, transferrin, which can carry other molecules 
into the cell. In addition, serum also supplements adhesion 
factors that help the cells to adhere to substratum before 
they begin to divide. Fetal bovine serum is commonly used 
to support the growth of cells in culture.
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   187 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 188
Box 2 Historical perspective of animal tissue culture
Name Year Breakthrough
Sydney Ringer 1882
Balanced salt solution with a composition similar to that of 
body ??uids and kept frog hearts after dissection and removal 
from the body
Roux 1885 Medullary plate of chick embryo in warm saline
Jolly 1903 In vitro cell survival and cell division of salamander leucocytes
Ross Harrison 1907
Published experiments showing frog embryo nerve ??bre growth 
in vitro 
Lewis and Lewis 1911
• Cultured connective tissue cells for extended periods and 
showed heart muscle tissue contractility over 2–3 months
• The ??rst liquid media consisted of sea water, serum, embryo 
extracts, salts and peptides
Alexis Carrel 1912
Aseptic techniques to tissue culture. Use of trypsin, embryo 
extracts/animal serum
Rous and Jones 1913 Use of antibiotics: penicillin/streptomycin
1916 Use of laminar air-??ow cabinets
1940
Trypsinization was used to produce homogenous cell types; 
tissue culture media
Katherine 
Sanford, et al.
1940s– 
50s
Were the ??rst to clone mouse L-cells. Tumor cells could give 
rise to continuous cell lines. Used non-malignant rodent cell 
culture to study the effects of carcinogens/viruses.
Margaret Gey 
and George Gey
1948
Observed contact inhibition among ??broblasts — the beginning 
of quantitative cell culture experimentation
Abercrombie and 
Heaysma
1952 Polio virus in human E-cells; production of polio vaccine
Enders, et al. 1954
Human cell lines for the production of vaccines — human and 
veterinary
Hay??ick and 
Moorhead
1955 Described the ??nite lifespan of normal human diploid cells.
1961
Published the methods for maintaining differentiated cells (of 
tumor origin)
Harry Eagle 1962 Developed de??ned media
1970 Described attachment factors and feeder layers
Buonassisi, et al. 1962 Studied the differentiation of normal myoblasts in vitro
Little??eld 1964 HAT selection
David Yaffe 1968 Human foetal lung ??broblasts
Kohler and 
Milstein 
1975 First hybridoma capable of screening a monoclonal antibody
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   188 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Page 5


Animal cell culture is described as the in vitro maintenance 
and proliferation of animal cells that will continue to grow 
outside the living organism if supplied with appropriate 
nutrients and growth conditions. The process of growing 
cells under laboratory conditions is termed as Cell Culture. 
It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the 
living). It deals with the isolation of cells from animal 
tissue, surgical intervention for removal of tissues or 
organs from an animal and their placement into an 
environment (media) in order to enhance their survival 
and proliferation.
A homogenous population of cells is termed as a clone, 
when it is derived from a single parental cell. Therefore, all 
cells within a clonal population are genetically identical. 
The growth rate of animal cells is relatively slow and usually 
requires 18 to 24 hours to divide. This makes animal cell 
culture vulnerable to contamination, as a small number of 
bacteria would soon outgrow a larger population of animal 
cells.
8.1 Historical 
Perspective 
8.2 Culture Media
8.3 Physical 
Environment for 
Culturing Animal 
Cells 
8.4 Equipment Used 
for Cell Culture
8.5 Types of Animal 
Cell Cultures and 
Cell Lines
8.6 Cell Viability 
Determination
8.7 Advantages 
of Animal Cell 
Culture
8.8 Applications 
of Animal Cell 
Culture 
Animal Cell Culture
8
Chapter 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   185 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 186
Box 1
Immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks
An African–American woman named Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal 
cervical cancer in 1951. She was treated at John Hopkins University by a doctor named 
George Gey who snipped cells from her cervix without her permission. Gey discovered 
that Lacks’ cells could not only be kept alive, but also could be grown inde??nitely.
For the past many years, ‘Lacks’ cells have been cultured and used in various 
experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the 
live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialised and have generated millions of dollars 
in pro??t for the medical researchers who patented h er tissue.
Essential requirements for optimal growth of cells are 
regulated temperature, proper substrate for an attachment 
of cells on appropriate growth medium and an incubator 
that maintains the correct pH and de??ned osmolality. 
Cell culture helps to study the basis of regulation of cell 
proliferation, differentiation, and product formation in 
controlled conditions and therefore, has gained a dominant 
position in many branches of the life science research. 
This technology has now emerged as a tool in the area 
of molecular genetics, immunological analysis, surgery, 
bioengineering, and pharmaceutical industry. 
8.1 Historical Pers Pective The animal cell culture became a routine laboratory 
technique in 1950s after George Gey established the ??rst 
human cell line (HeLa) from cervix cancer of the patient, 
Henrietta Lacks, that led to several important discoveries 
in medical sciences. The need for cell culture, especially at 
large scale, became apparent with the need for viral vaccines. 
The cell culture technologies have been used in 
various areas, including the assessment of the ef??cacy 
and toxicity of new drugs, manufacture of vaccines and 
biopharmaceuticals, etc. With the development of cell 
culture technology, a variety of culture media have been 
designed. The culture medium supports cell survival and 
proliferation, as well as cellular functions.
Growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, epidermal 
growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, ??broblast 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   186 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Animal Cell Culture 187
growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor, and 
transforming growth factor (TGF) were discovered one 
after another and their addition led to increased cellular 
proliferation. In 1976, the development of serum-free 
media was accelerated. 
8.2 c ulture Media The most signi??cant and critical stage in cell culture is 
the selection of a suitable growth medium for their proper 
in vitro culture. Appropriate media selection will depend on 
the kind of cells to be cultured and on the requirement for 
culture, such as growth, differentiation and production of 
desired products like pharmaceutical compounds. A typical 
culture medium contains a complement of vitamins, amino 
acids, glucose, inorganic salts, serum (as a source of growth 
factors) and hormones. Additionally, medium helps to 
maintain the pH and the osmolality. Media can be natural 
consisting of natural biological substances, like plasma, 
serum and tissue extract or arti??cial/synthetic composed 
of a basal medium with supplements such as hormones, 
growth factors, serum etc.
Media supplements
As you know, the culture media contains a combination of 
amino acids, salts, glucose, vitamins and supplemented with 
other nutrients. The requirements for these components is 
based on the cell lines that are to be cultured and thus, 
there are extensive number of media formulations available. 
Some additional components (hormones, growth 
factors, and signaling substances), which are not present 
in the basal media and serum, are required that help in  
the proliferation and maintaining normal cell metabolism.
Serum is one of the most important components of cell 
culture media. Serum is considered a good source for amino 
acids, proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, hormones, 
growth factors, etc. Serum provides several binding proteins, 
like albumin, transferrin, which can carry other molecules 
into the cell. In addition, serum also supplements adhesion 
factors that help the cells to adhere to substratum before 
they begin to divide. Fetal bovine serum is commonly used 
to support the growth of cells in culture.
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   187 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 188
Box 2 Historical perspective of animal tissue culture
Name Year Breakthrough
Sydney Ringer 1882
Balanced salt solution with a composition similar to that of 
body ??uids and kept frog hearts after dissection and removal 
from the body
Roux 1885 Medullary plate of chick embryo in warm saline
Jolly 1903 In vitro cell survival and cell division of salamander leucocytes
Ross Harrison 1907
Published experiments showing frog embryo nerve ??bre growth 
in vitro 
Lewis and Lewis 1911
• Cultured connective tissue cells for extended periods and 
showed heart muscle tissue contractility over 2–3 months
• The ??rst liquid media consisted of sea water, serum, embryo 
extracts, salts and peptides
Alexis Carrel 1912
Aseptic techniques to tissue culture. Use of trypsin, embryo 
extracts/animal serum
Rous and Jones 1913 Use of antibiotics: penicillin/streptomycin
1916 Use of laminar air-??ow cabinets
1940
Trypsinization was used to produce homogenous cell types; 
tissue culture media
Katherine 
Sanford, et al.
1940s– 
50s
Were the ??rst to clone mouse L-cells. Tumor cells could give 
rise to continuous cell lines. Used non-malignant rodent cell 
culture to study the effects of carcinogens/viruses.
Margaret Gey 
and George Gey
1948
Observed contact inhibition among ??broblasts — the beginning 
of quantitative cell culture experimentation
Abercrombie and 
Heaysma
1952 Polio virus in human E-cells; production of polio vaccine
Enders, et al. 1954
Human cell lines for the production of vaccines — human and 
veterinary
Hay??ick and 
Moorhead
1955 Described the ??nite lifespan of normal human diploid cells.
1961
Published the methods for maintaining differentiated cells (of 
tumor origin)
Harry Eagle 1962 Developed de??ned media
1970 Described attachment factors and feeder layers
Buonassisi, et al. 1962 Studied the differentiation of normal myoblasts in vitro
Little??eld 1964 HAT selection
David Yaffe 1968 Human foetal lung ??broblasts
Kohler and 
Milstein 
1975 First hybridoma capable of screening a monoclonal antibody
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   188 23-01-2025   11:24:28
Reprint 2025-26
Animal Cell Culture 189
Box 3 Various types of media
Category Definition Type Description Disadvantages/
Advantages 
Natural 
media
Consisting 
of natural 
biological 
substances, 
such as 
plasma, serum, 
and embryo 
extract
Coagulant 
or clots
Plasma separated from 
heparinised blood, serum 
and ??brinogen
The greatest 
disadvantage of 
natural media is poor 
reproducibility and 
reduced uniformity 
because the exact 
composition of these 
natural media are not 
known.
Tissue 
extracts
Extracts of chicken 
embryos, liver, spleen, 
and bone marrow
Biological 
fluids
Plasma, serum, lymph, 
amniotic ??uid, and 
pleural ??uid
Synthetic 
media or 
Arti??cial 
media
Composed 
of a basal 
medium and 
supplements, 
such as serum, 
growth factors, 
and hormones
Serum-
containing 
media
Human, bovine, equine, 
or other serum is used 
as a supplement
The quality of serum 
varies from batch to 
batch and deteriorates 
within one year. 
Therefore, every batch 
of serum needs fresh 
testing. 
Serum-free 
media
Crude protein fractions, 
such as bovine serum 
albumin or a- or 
ß-globulin, are used as 
supplements
It has the ability 
to make a medium 
selective for a 
particular cell type, 
since each cell type 
appears to require a 
different recipe. 
Xeno-free 
media
Human-source 
components, such as 
human serum albumin, 
are used as supplements 
but animal components 
are not allowed as 
supplements
Protein-
free media
Unde??ned components, 
such as peptide fractions 
(protein hydrolysates), 
are used as supplements
Chemically 
de??ned 
media
Basal media 
Phosphate buffered 
saline (PBS), Dulbecco’s 
phosphate buffered 
saline (DPBS), Hank’s 
balanced salt solution 
(HBSS), Earle’s balanced 
salt solution (EBSS) 
Balanced salt solution 
(BSS) is composed 
of inorganic salts 
that maintain the 
physiological pH and 
osmotic pressure. 
The physiological role 
played by the inorganic 
ions is to maintain the 
membrane potential. 
Chapter 8_Animal cell culture.indd   189 23-01-2025   11:24:28
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