TABLE OF CONTENTS Tissue culture is a term that refers to both organ culture and cell culture. Cell cultures are derived from either primary tissue explants or cell suspensions. Primary cell cultures typically will have a finite life span in culture, whereas continuous cell lines are, by definition, abnormal and are often transformed cell lines.
Laminar Flow Hoods. There are 2 types of laminar flow hoods, vertical and horizontal, and both types of hoods are available in the microbiology laboratory. The vertical hood is best for working with hazardous organisms, since the aerosols that are generated in the hood are filtered out before they are released into the surrounding environment. Horizontal hoods are designed so that the air flows directly at the operator, hence, they are not useful for working with hazardous organisms, but are the best protection for your cultures.
Both types of hoods have continuous displacement of air that passes through a HEPA (high efficiency particle) filter that removes particulates from the air. The hoods are equipped with a shortwave UV light that can be turned on for a few minutes to sterilize the surfaces of the hood, but be aware that only exposed surfaces will be accessible to the UV light. Do not put your hands or face near the hood when the UV light is on, as the shortwave light can cause skin and eye damage. The hoods should be turned on about 10 20...
