What is animal cell culture?
Animal cell culture refers to the in vitro maintenance and proliferation of animal cells that continue to grow outside the living organism when supplied with appropriate nutrients and growth conditions. It is carried out in vitro as opposed to in vivo (within the living).
The process involves the isolation of cells from animal tissue through surgical intervention for removal of tissues or organs from an animal. These cells are then placed into an appropriate environment (media) to enhance their survival and proliferation under laboratory conditions.
Explanation
This answer covers the core definition from the textbook context, including the key distinction between in vitro and in vivo, and describes the basic process of isolating and maintaining cells. The bold terms highlight essential concepts that examiners look for in a 2-mark answer.