Relevance of in vitro studies for aging of the organism. A review.
Cell culture in vitro has been widely used to study aging at a cellular level. The criticisms that have been raised to the use of this experimental system are due to incorrect interpretations of the results obtained, and to ignorance of the physiological development of the human organism through its life span. The cell culture methodology has yielded fundamental knowledge concerning how a cell is modified through division, how this creates a change in cell function, and the consequences it has on cell interactions.
Macieira-Coelho
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INSERM, University of Paris VI 73 BIS rue Maréchal Foch 78000 Versailles, France. macieiracoelho@aol.com
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques