Abstract
Cell or tissue cultures (both terms are interchangeable) represent a complex process by which eukaryotic cells are maintained in vitro outside their natural environment. They have a broad usage covering not only scientific field but also diagnostic one since they represent the most important way of monoclonal antibodies production which are used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Cell cultures are also used as a "cultivation medium" in virology and for establishing proliferating cells in cytodiagnostics. They are well-established and easy-to-handle models in the area of research, e.g. as a precious source of nucleic acids or proteins.
This paper briefly summarizes their importance and methods as well as the pitfalls of the cultivation and new trends in this field.