In vitro

Definition

The term in vitro, arising from Latin „in glass”,refers to the research of biological and biochemical processes carried out in laboratory conditions outside of a living organism. In vitro studies use biological material isolated from a living organism, such as organs, tissue samples, primary cells, subcellular fractions like mitochondria or cellular vesicles, and biomolecules, as well as microorganisms or cell lines. The advances in biotechnology over the past few decades contributed to the development of diverse in vitro models. Compared to traditional methods of in vivo research (using living organisms), in vitro models are characterized to be cheaper, easier to maintain, and free of the ethical burden that comes with animal testing.