ABSTRACT
Successful employment of cell cultures to the study of copper (Cu) metabolism requires an ultra clean environment with ultra pure solutions. Quantitative studies especially mandate that utensils and solutions be free from Cu contamination. The laboratory environment is especially critical. An immediate danger of all culture operations is contamination from air-borne and surface-borne bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms. Basic culture apparatus such as plates, flasks, filters, pipettes, and petri dishes are disposable and may be purchased presterilized. Nutrientrich growth medium may be purchased in powdered form or in readymade sterile solutions. Powdered media should be dissolved in deionionized distilled water. Cell cultures are classified as primary cultures and cell lines, the latter including finite, continuous, and clonal cell lines. Nutritional studies will be limited by the ability of the investigator to detect Cu which is often present only in trace amounts.
