Differences Between Microbial, Plant, And Animal Cell Culture

I. Microbial Culture

Microbial culture refers to the artificial growth and reproduction of specific microorganisms by using prepared culture media and controlled conditions (such as temperature). It includes the culture of bacteria, molds, and yeast. These microorganisms typically have very short life cycles—for example, bacteria can divide every 20–30 minutes.

1) Culture Types

Based on the physical state of the media, microbial culture can be classified into three types:

① Liquid Culture – used for enrichment and differential purposes.

② Solid Culture – used for enrichment, isolation, identification, and preservation.

③ Semi-solid Culture – generally used for identification and enrichment.

2）Incubators used in microbial culture can be for aerobic or anaerobic organisms. Anaerobic culture requires food-grade nitrogen gas supplied by gas cylinders. Mold incubators are designed for mold culture, offering high humidity and good airtightness.

II. Plant Cell and Tissue Culture

Plant tissue culture involves aseptically isolating a part of a plant (explant) and culturing it on nutrient media under controlled conditions to regenerate a whole plant. Common methods include protoplast culture, suspension cell culture, anther culture, tissue culture, and organ culture. Among these, callus culture is the most widely used.

1) Culture Types

Plant culture can be classified into:

• Protoplast culture

• Tissue culture

• Suspension cell culture

• Anther (pollen) culture

• Organ culture

2) Culture Equipment

Plant cell and tissue cultures require specific environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and humidity. Suitable equipment includes illuminated incubators and plant bioreactors.

III. Animal Cell Culture

Animal cell culture involves the cultivation of isolated single-cell suspensions or tissue explants. Subcultured cells like cell lines and clones are usually grown from single-cell suspensions, which is the common method. Primary cells are derived directly from tissues and often consist of heterogeneous cell types with tight junctions. If cells are not separated but cultured as tissue fragments, it is known as tissue culture; if dissociated into single cells before seeding, it is called primary cell culture.

1) Culture Types 

By source: invertebrate vs. vertebrate animal cells

By growth behavior: adherent vs. suspension culture

By purpose: primary culture, subculture, clonal culture, large-scale expansion

2) Culture Equipment

Animal cell culture typically uses CO₂ incubators to maintain optimal temperature, humidity, and pH. Stable CO₂ levels are crucial to maintaining pH in the culture medium. In industrial or production settings, equipment such as bioreactors, cell factories, and roller bottle systems are also used.

Whether you're working with fast-growing microbes, photosynthetic plant cells, or delicate animal tissues, a stable and contamination-free environment is essential.

That’s why Crystal’s CO₂ Incubator is a smart choice.
Our incubators offer:

• Precise CO₂ and temperature control

• High humidity uniformity

• UV sterilization and HEPA filtration (optional)

• Compact benchtop or large-capacity models available

Trusted by researchers in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural fields, Crystal’s CO₂ incubators are designed to support the unique needs of each cell type — helping you maintain optimal culture conditions for reliable results.