IN VITRO – Definition, History and Characteristics
In vitro is a Latin phrase meaning “in glass”, and it is used to refer to laboratory studies that are conducted outside of a living organism. It is an experimental technique used in the biological sciences to study biological processes in a controlled environment. In vitro studies are conducted in a laboratory setting using artificial media, such as cell cultures or tissue samples, instead of in a living organism. Over the years, in vitro techniques have become increasingly important in medical and biological research, as they provide a way to investigate biological processes in a more controlled and precise manner than can be achieved in vivo.
History
In vitro studies were first developed in the early 20th century, when scientists began to explore the use of cell cultures to study the properties of cells. The first successful cell culture was developed in 1907 by Ross Granville Harrison at Johns Hopkins University, and the technique soon became widely used in the biological sciences. In the 1950s, advances in cell culture technology enabled researchers to study the behavior of cells in more detail, and this enabled the development of more sophisticated in vitro techniques. In the 1970s, the development of recombinant DNA technology enabled researchers to study the genetics of cells in a more precise manner.
Characteristics
In vitro experiments are conducted in a laboratory setting using artificial media, such as cell cultures or tissue samples. This allows researchers to control the conditions of the experiment more precisely than in vivo studies, and to study the effects of specific treatments on the cells or tissues. In vitro studies can also be used to study the behavior of cells and tissues in different conditions, such as under different levels of stress or in the presence of different types of chemicals. Additionally, in vitro techniques can be used to study the effects of genetic modifications on cells, such as gene knockouts or overexpression.
References
Banks, M. (2018). In Vitro: Definition, History, and Examples. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-in-vitro-373678
Bianconi, V., & Taddei, T. (2013). In vitro and in vivo studies of mammalian cell behavior. International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 45(11), 2193–2199. doi:10.1016/j.biocel.2013.06.007
Cox, A. D., & Christman, M. C. (2006). In vitro techniques. In Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9780470015902.a0020371
Fletcher, M. A. (2013). In Vitro Techniques. Encyclopedia of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, 4, 813–818. doi:10.1002/3527602930.mbc042