In vitro studies are laboratory-based studies that are conducted using cells or tissues that have been isolated from an organism and placed in a controlled environment. The term “in vitro” is Latin for “in glass,” referring to the fact that these studies are typically performed in glass or plastic laboratory containers rather than in a living organism.
In vitro studies offer a way to study cellular and molecular processes in a controlled and highly manipulable environment, without the confounds and limitations that are associated with in vivo studies, which are performed in living organisms. By using in vitro methods, researchers can study individual cells or tissues, as well as the interactions between different cell types, in isolation from the complex and dynamic environment of the whole organism.
In vitro studies can be used to study a wide range of biological processes, including cell growth and division, cell differentiation, gene expression, protein synthesis, and metabolic pathways. They are also commonly used in the development of drugs and medical treatments, as they provide a way to test the efficacy and toxicity of potential drugs or treatments before they are tested in living organisms.
It is important to note that in vitro studies are limited in their ability to fully replicate the complex and dynamic environment of the whole organism, and that their results must be interpreted with caution and validated by in vivo studies.
