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QUESTIONS
1. Why do we study cells in vitro? What are some of
the advantages and disadvantages of in vitro culture
systems relative to in vivo?
2. What are some of the limitations with standard tissue
culture plates for in vitro cell culture?
3. What are some of the ways in vitro cell culture systems
ANSWERS
1. Culturing cells in vitro provides a method of studying
cells in a controlled environment. The major advan–
tages of this system include the added control. How–
three-dimensional environments. Also, the spatial
and temporal signaling that is present in the body is
difficult to recreate for cells that are cultured on a tis-
sue culture plate.
3. In vitro systems can be patterned by a number of
techniques such as microcontact printing and pho-
tolithography. By using these techniques cells can be
4. It has been seen that surface mechanics can be used to
regulate cell behavior such as shape and differentia-
tion. For example, it has been seen that mesenchymal
stem cells sense the underlying substrate mechanics
and differentiate into tissues that best resemble their
underlying substrate mechanics. Hard substrates
CHAPTER II.1.3
Cells and Surfaces In Vitro