C1220 Technologie buněčných kultur

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jiří Kučera, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Lochman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Vladimír Rotrekl, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Lochman, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Jan Lochman, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Biochemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Fri 8:00–9:50 C05/114
Prerequisites
C3181 Biochemistry I || C3580 Biochemistry || C5720 Biochemistry
Basic knowledge of biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract

The course is divided into three modules on cell culture technologies.


Module 1: Microbial Culture Technologies (Mgr. Jiří Kučera, Ph.D.)


The microbial cell as a production platform. This module follows the process chain from host selection and growth kinetics through cultivation regimes, media, and bioreactor control to the optimization of the production strain, with a focus on industrial applications.


Module 2: Animal Cell Culture Technology (Mgr. Vladimír Rotrekl, Ph.D.)


Animal cells and their various forms (immortalized lines, stem cells, primary cultures) serve as a platform for the production of biotechnology products, as well as a means for producing material for cell transplants, drug screening, and the production of organoids and transplantable tissue and organ substitutes.


Module 3: Plant Culture Technologies (Assoc. Prof. Jan Lochman, Ph.D.)


The plant cell as a cultivation, genetically modifiable, and production platform. This module follows the process chain from the establishment of plant cultures and plant regeneration through genetic transformation and genome editing to the use of plant cells and tissues for the production of valuable metabolites and recombinant proteins, including process control and industrial applications.

Learning outcomes

Module 1: Students will be able to quantify microbial culture growth and product yield, justify the choice of host, cultivation regimen, and medium composition for a given product, explain the control of key parameters—including oxygen transfer—and describe metabolic engineering tools in relation to process design.


Module 2: Students will be able to distinguish the suitability of various animal tissue systems for a wide range of applications, will have an overview of basic concepts, and will be able to theoretically design appropriate procedures for using these cultures in drug production, drug screening, and cell therapy. Furthermore, students will become familiar with modern approaches and the use of tissue cultures in regenerative medicine.


Module 3: Students will be able to explain the principles of totipotency and in vitro plant regeneration, justify the choice of explant, culture medium, and type of plant culture for a given purpose, compare methods of genetic transformation and genome editing, and propose a basic procedure for obtaining a genetically modified or edited plant. Furthermore, they will be able to assess the suitability of plant cells as production platforms, describe options for increasing the production of target substances, and explain the main specifics of cultivation.

Key topics

Module 1: Microorganisms as a Production Platform: host selection, growth kinetics, growth-dependent and growth-independent production, process performance metrics. Cultivation modes: batch, fed-batch, and continuous modes; filamentous producers. Culture media: defined and complex media, limitations as a control tool, low-cost substrates. Bioreactors and process control: pH, temperature, oxygen transfer, reactor types, scale-up. Metabolic engineering: from mutagenesis to systems-level intervention, the DBTL cycle, case studies, and process economics.


Module 2: Introduction to animal cells and their specific characteristics, potency, and differentiation; Hayflick limit; immortalized cell lines; cultivation and differentiation (including large-scale, GMP, and industry-grade). The next installment will explore the use of animal cells for drug production, the use of animal cells—and, by extension, stem cells—in drug screening and production, and their application in cell therapy. The final installment will present special applications and a look into the future (3D culture, organoids, 3D cell printing, and in vitro creation of tissue and organ substitutes).


Module 3: In vitro plant cultures: totipotency, explants, culture media, growth regulators, types of cultures, and regeneration. Genetic transformation and genome editing: Agrobacterium, alternative transformation methods, selection, reporter systems, and CRISPR–Cas. Plant cells as a production platform: secondary metabolites, recombinant proteins, production optimization, scale-up, and industrial applications.

Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • Aschner Michael. Cell Culture Techniques. Humana Press. 2020. ISBN- 9781493992300
  • Kasper Cornelia. Cell Culture Technology. Springer Nature. 2018. ISBN-9783319748535
  • STANBURY, Peter F.; Allan WHITAKER and Stephen J. HALL. Principles of fermentation technology. 2nd ed. Oxford: Pergamon, 1995, xviii, 357. ISBN 0-08-036131-5. info
  • SMITH, Roberta H. Plant tissue culture : techniques and experiments. Third edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2013, xvi, 188. ISBN 9780124159204. info
  • Plant biotechnology and genetics : principles, techniques, and applications. Edited by C. Neal Stewart. Third edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, 2025, xvii, 494. ISBN 9781394217212. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lecture in the form of PowerPoint slides and demonstration videos.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Written exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024, Autumn 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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