Cell culture medium is a crucial nutrient matrix in cell culture. The following are its specific applications:

In the Field of Scientific Research

• Basic Research in Cell Biology
  It is used to culture various cell lines, such as human – derived cells and mouse – derived cells, to study the mechanisms of basic life activities of cells, including growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. For example, when researching the regulation of the cell cycle, cells are cultured in the medium. By adding different cell – cycle inhibitors or activators, the changes of cells at different stages can be observed, thus revealing the regulatory mechanisms of the cell cycle.
• Research on Disease Mechanisms
  Cells from disease patients, such as tumor cells and cells related to neurodegenerative diseases, are cultured to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease occurrence and development. Taking tumor research as an example, tumor cells are cultured in the medium to explore their proliferation characteristics, invasion and metastasis abilities, and drug sensitivity. This helps to deeply understand the pathogenesis of tumors and discover new therapeutic targets.
• Drug Research and Development
  It is applied to drug screening and the study of drug action mechanisms. Cells are cultured in the medium containing different drugs, and the effects of the drugs on cell growth, metabolism, gene expression, etc., are observed. This is used to screen drugs with potential therapeutic effects and study their targets and action pathways. In addition, it can also be used for drug toxicity testing to evaluate the toxic effects of drugs on cells, providing a basis for the safety evaluation of drugs.

In the Field of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

• Vaccine Production
  It is used to culture cells infected with viruses, providing an environment for virus proliferation, thereby producing vaccines. For example, in influenza vaccine production, cells such as chicken embryo cells or mammalian cells infected with the influenza virus are cultured in the cell culture medium. The virus is proliferated in large quantities, and after processes such as purification, the vaccine is prepared.
• Biopharmaceutical Production
  Engineered cell lines are cultured to produce protein – based drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and other biological products. For instance, transgenic CHO cells (Chinese Hamster Ovary cells) are cultured in the medium, enabling them to express and secrete specific protein drugs, such as insulin and growth hormone, in large quantities.
• Cell Therapy
  In cell therapy technologies, such as CAR – T cell therapy, cell culture medium is required to culture, activate, and genetically edit immune cells collected from patients in vitro. These cells are transformed into therapeutic CAR – T cells, which are then reinfused into the patient’s body for disease treatment.

In Other Fields

• Tissue Engineering
  Combined with biomaterials, it provides support for cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation to construct tissue – engineered tissues. For example, when constructing artificial skin, skin cells are seeded on a biomaterial scaffold containing an appropriate medium. Through culture, an artificial skin with certain structure and function is formed, which can be used for skin wound repair.
• Food Industry
  It is used to culture probiotics and other microorganisms for the production of fermented foods and health products. For example, in yogurt production, probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria are cultured in the medium. These bacteria ferment in milk, producing metabolic products such as lactic acid, causing the milk to coagulate and developing unique flavors and nutritional value.