28452 - Cell Culture Laboratory

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has the knowledges to perform: - the correct procedures for aseptic techniques and for main basic techniques for animal cell culture; - basic protocols for antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects assessment. The student learn how to evalute the obtained results writing a detailed report under the guidance of the teacher and the tutors.

Course contents

Content of the Course of Laboratory of Cell Culture

Theoretical Part.

1. Animal cell culture laboratory and the basic equipments
2. Safety in cell culture laboratory
3. Different types of cultured cells and the appropriate culture media
4. Cryopreservation
5. Contaminations
6. Theoretical basis of centrifugation, microscopy and flow cytometry applied to cell culture

Practical part

1. Growth curve of a culture of cells in suspension and determination of the doubling time of the culture.
2. Adherent cells culture
3. Cell cycle assayed by flow cytometry
4. Preparation of slides by cytospin or by growing cells on a coverslip. Staining techniques for transmitted light microscopy
5. Freezing and thawing of animal cells
6. Cell lysis
   

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes with detailed description of the laboratory practices.

Freshney R.I., Culture of Animal Cell. Manual of Basic Techniques, 4th ed., Wiley-Liss, 2000.

Teaching methods

Practical experiences to applies the main techniques described in the teorethical part.

Assessment methods

Detailed report on the laboratory experiences, in particular on the determination of the growth curve, doubling time, assessment of cell viability and functions.

Final oral verification of the report.

Teaching tools

Lectures supported by transparences /slides/power point. Practical part is performed in the laboratories of cell culture, of microscopy and of bioinformatics.

Links to further information

http://www.biotecnologie.unibo.it/cgi-bin/corsi.pl

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Farruggia