One of the best ways to improve the accuracy of the research is to increase the sample size that is being studied. The larger the group of subjects, the more representative of the total population they may be. Not to mention the experiment’s security in the event that something goes wrong.
In the field of medical research, this population increase can be achieved through cell separation and culture. Cell culture is a process in which cells are removed from an organism and expanded in an artificial environment that is more conducive to their growth; it is also known as cell expansion.
Cell culture is commonly used by medical researchers to study cells that are uncommon in the body, such as T cells. T cells, also known as T lymphocytes, are specialized cells that assist the immune system in targeting specific foreign particles.
T cell culture allows for a more in-depth examination of how the immune system naturally responds to harmful pathogens. When attempting to isolate and study T lymphocytes, it is critical to obtain as large a sample size as possible.
Why T Cells Need to Be Cultured and Expanded
T cells can be used in a variety of ways, the majority of which are for research purposes. The study of activated T cell populations can reveal information such as:
- The way our bodies naturally respond to disease
- The method by which we develop immunizations
- The procedure by which our bodies learn to recognize a pathogen.
- How to Generate Various Medications Synthetically
- The impact of T cells on general well-being
T cells must also be investigated for their individual functions. A helper (CD4+) T cell secretes cytokines that control the cellular response. Unknown substances are actively poisoned and destroyed by cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells. These distinct roles can be manipulated in various situations to achieve the best possible treatment. Because of the subtle differences, they are cultured in different ways.
While research is one of their primary functions, they can also be cultured for treatment. Expansion may be required in the case of a disease that necessitates a strong and prolonged immune response, such as cancer. Only certain T cells will be designated to combat tumor cells.
Activated T lymphocytes are sometimes extracted, multiplied, and reintroduced into the body as reinforcements to bolster a strong enough and long enough response. T cells must be isolated from other peripheral mononuclear blood cells before any research or treatment can begin.
Traditional methods of isolating T cells necessitate complex equipment, specially trained experts, and a great deal of patience. Some methods, such as using harsh magnetic fields or rapidly flowing liquids, can harm fragile cells. It is critical to select a T cell enrichment technique that is both cost-effective and yields a large, clean sample.
Advantages
T cell culture can help the researcher in a variety of ways. As previously stated, the larger the sample, the more accurate and representative the original population will be. With a greater number of cellular subjects, both downstream throughput and result applicability will increase.
Disadvantages
Despite the fact that cell culture has a lot to offer, there are a few reasons why it isn’t widely used. The main reason is how time and money consuming it can be. To carry out a tedious process with extreme focus, cell culture requires highly skilled personnel and strict asepsis techniques.
Cell Culture Protocol
From start to finish, the human T cell expansion protocol consists of a series of steps that outline the most effective way to culture cells.
Setting Up an Aseptic Environment
Ensure that all potential equipment has been properly sterilized. To prevent microbial growth, everything that could be used during the procedure, as well as the surrounding area, must be cleaned. Any type of contamination could jeopardize the desired cell population.
Make the Cell Growth Medium.
Depending on the type of cell being expanded, selecting the proper medium is critical. The culture medium is a viscous substance that is restricted in order to maximize the growth of a specific cell.
Check the Cells
T cells must be monitored on a daily basis to ensure that they are healthy and growing. To reduce clumping and test different levels within the medium, different reagents can be added. If the cells are detaching and appear very dark in color, or if they remain in quiescence over time (meaning they don’t appear to be growing), they must be discarded.
Subculturing
When a population becomes too confluent, which means that the cultured cell covers the majority of the flask surface, the sample must be divided. The medium’s overcrowding can have a negative impact on cell viability and gene expression.
Changing Media
If the cells have been growing but not to the point where they are confluent, the medium may need to be changed. This will help to provide fresh nutrients while also keeping the pH at the proper level.
Maximizing the Growth Setup
The overarching goal of these steps is to produce the most healthy crop of activated primary T cells possible. Primary T cell culture refers to cells that have been grown directly from extracted T lymphocytes. The key to successful experiments and long-term growth is a well-rounded primary T cell culture.
The process of isolating T cells is also an important part of a successful procedure. The population will grow at an exponential rate if the process begins with more isolated T cells. Separating as many healthy T lymphocytes as possible from other substances in the body can alleviate some of the tension and shorten the time researchers must wait before their sample is confluent.
Try Pluriselect’s Cell Separation Products Today
If you are searching for the most effective way for T Cell Separation from unwanted cell populations, pluriBead and pluriSpin technology offers an exceptionally gentle method for T cell enrichment that maintains the physiology and health of delicate immune cells. While some methods of cell separation can be harsh and damaging to rare and delicate cell types, our cell separation technology does the job quickly and gently while maintaining cell health and physiology.
Plurispin
The pluriSpin system is a new negative cell isolation technology directly from whole blood, buffy coat, or cord blood. Without the use of magnets or a column, this new method isolates viable, untouched, and highly purified cells in a single step. As a result, the cells of interest are less likely to be activated or damaged.
PluriBead
It is a one-of-a-kind cell separation technology that does not use magnetic components. The steps are straightforward: the pluriBeads (containing bound target cells) are sieved through a strainer; the pluriBeads containing your target cells remain on top, while the unwanted cells pass through. After detaching, you have your target cells ready.
Check out our website to learn more about Pluriselect T cell isolation products today!
Reference:
Science Direct
News Medical
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