Viral Culture

Tube Culture

April 2012

Traditional tube culture involves the use of a tube containing a monolayer of living cells. The monolayer is infected by virus that is present in the patient specimen and the tubes are then incubated on a roller rack such as that shown here on the right to ensure that cells are bathed in media to keep them alive. The cell monolayers are then periodically observed for damage that is consistent with viral infection. This is referred to as cytopathic effect or CPE.

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Tube Culture

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Jump to section:

• Introduction
• Viral Culture
• Tube Culture
• Multiple Roller Racks Containing Tube Cultures
• Technologist Examining the Cell Monolayers
• Special Stage Attachment
• Negative MRC-5 Cell sheet (human diploid fibroblasts)
• MRC-5 Cell sheet with CMV cytopathic effect (CPE)
• Shell Vial Culture
• Shell Vial Culture (continued)
• CMV Shell Vial Results
• Pitfalls of Culture
• Viruses That Grow In Culture and Incubation Time
• Viruses That Do NOT Grow in Routine Cell Culture
• Best Tests for Identification of Cultivable Viruses
• Suggested Tests for Viral Identification
• Suggested Tests for Viral Identification
• Suggested Tests for Viral Identification
• Suggested Tests for Viral Identification
• Suggested Tests for Viral Identification
• Summary
• Questions