ABSTRACT
In vitro test methods are increasingly being used as components in an integrated approach to assess the safety or potential toxicity of various chemicals, medicines, and products (1,2). Their development has been stimulated by advances in new technologies and enhanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of toxicity. Advances in tissue culture methods and development of genetically modified stable cell lines have contributed to improved in vitro model systems. New scientific tools such as toxicogenomics, proteomics, and metabonomics are facilitating the identification of more sensitive and earlier biomarkers of toxicity that will likely be incorporated into both in vitro and animal safety testing methods. The number and diversity of in vitro test systems incorporating these sensitive biomarkers will undoubtedly expand greatly in the coming years.
