The first stage in the preparation of a cell culture consists in isolating the desired population of cells from a tissue fragment; in an initial mechanical disaggregation of the tissue is followed by enzymatic digestion, to degrade the extracellular matrix that surrounds and holds the cells together. The resulting cell population is heterogeneous, but using selective media or by separating the cells based on the molecules expressed on the cytoplasmic membrane (antigens), it is possible to isolate specific cell populations. The isolated cells are then grown in an appropriate culture medium; these proliferate and reached confluence, can be detached and moved to another container to keep them in constant division. The cells can be grown to high density (mass culture) or low density (clonal culture), giving rise to the formation of single colonies.
