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Species-specific primary cell cultures: a research tool in veterinary science
Karim R. Sultan and Henk P. Haagsman

Introduction
In experimental veterinary research intact animals are often employed. Although this will remain important, both basic and applied research may benefit from well-chosen and well-designed model systems, which range from isolated perfused organs to subcellular fractions. Cell and tissue cultures of organs of euthanised companion animals and slaughtered production animals have been used only infrequently in veterinary science. However, like no other method, cell culture systems offer possibilities to screen for effects of compounds like hormones and drugs in a controlled way and under a wide variety of conditions. Application of new technologies commonly termed "functional genomics" will help to identify (cell-specific) target molecules. Thus, cell culture systems may contribute considerably to knowledge in the veterinary sciences. Here is a brief overview of the potential of species-specific primary cell cultures.

Isolation of viable cells for culture
Over the last three decades, cell and tissue culture methods have been refined and have now become an essential tool in biomedical research. Animal welfare concerns may recently have played a role in this development, but the main reason was to develop systems that allow the study of single cellular functions under controlled environmental conditions (see Fig. 1).

In vitro systems share the characteristic that they exclude the influence of other organs and of the circulatory and immune system, thus providing the possibility to study direct effects on a cell population. Today's cell culture systems are based on mechanical and/or enzymatic disaggregation of the tissue to single cells. Tissue samples are mostly obtained from laboratory animals that are killed for this purpose, and from embryonated chicken eggs. Biopsy specimens or samples from surgically removed material are another source, but their use is limited by irregular availability, small volume, and difficulties in standardisation due to variations in sample origin (genotype, strain/breed, age etc.).

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