Cell Differentiation,In vitroMammalian

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in activity in the growth and manipulation of differentiating cell populations brought on by the interest in embryonic and adult stem cells. New methods of analysis have assisted in making important connections between in vivo biology and what one observes in a culture dish. Despite the many technical and interpretive challenges faced in the cultivation of differentiating mammalian cell populations, great strides have been made in understanding the constituents of differentiating cell populations and their behavior through the use of in vitro cultivation. This article reviews some of the important insights that have been gained in the last several years through work with a variety of culture systems and their comparison with what is observed in vivo . Continued comparison and benchmarking between organ systems and cell types should continue to improve our ability to effectively work with embryonic and adult cell populations with an appreciation for the need to distinguish between modulation and differentiation, growth and neogenesis, and fact from artifact.