Tissue Culture - GCSE Biology Definition

Tissue culture is a technique used in biology to grow new cells, tissues, or entire small plants from a tiny sample of living material in a laboratory. Scientists take a small piece of plant or animal tissue and place it in a special nutrient-rich solution or agar. This allows the cells to grow and multiply under controlled conditions. It helps researchers study cells more closely or produce large numbers of identical plants quickly without using seeds. Tissue culture is important in research and agriculture, as it allows the study of tissues without harming whole organisms, the growth of plants free from disease, the development of new plant varieties, and the conservation of rare or endangered species.