What is cell culture primarily defined as?

Cell culture is primarily defined as growing cells in a controlled environment. This process involves the maintenance and proliferation of cells outside of their natural environment, typically in a laboratory setting within specialized media that provides the necessary nutrients, growth factors, and conditions for cell survival and growth.

This controlled environment allows for various types of cells to be grown, including those derived from animals, plants, and microorganisms, enabling researchers to study cellular behaviors, drug responses, and various biological processes in a systematic and reproducible manner. The ability to observe and manipulate cell growth under specific conditions is fundamental to various applications in biomedical research, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology.

While isolating and harvesting cells, cultivating tissues, and manipulating genetic material are related to broader aspects of biomedical engineering and cellular biology, they do not encapsulate the primary definition of cell culture. Instead, those actions may stem from processes that rely on cell culture as a foundational technique.