Overview of the different methods used in the primary culture of oral mucosa cells

Abstract

The culture of primary cells in vitro has enabled to gain knowledge in the field of cell biology, diseasemechanisms and to offer great potential in drug testing. To date, two main techniques of isolatingand culturing oral mucosal cells, the direct explant method and the enzymatic method, dominate theliterature and practice. In the present study, both techniques are discussed in detail, comparing theadvantages and disadvantages of the two approaches in setting up a primary culture of oral mucosalcell. The direct explant technique is well-established and has been commonly used for the past 20-30years. Although the method of setting up the cultures did not show much variations in the methodologydescribed by authors, the culturing conditions varied according to the aims of the projects. The enzymaticmethods showed many prominent variations as different enzymes, concentrations and other conditionswere introduced. Both methods of setting up the primary cell cultures of oral mucosal cells proceedto culturing conditions adapted to the purpose of the study. The variations of the methods aimed atmaintaining the purity (free from microbial contamination), identity and stability through maintenanceof the genotype and phenotype during growth and passage.