The golden age of retinal cell culture

In the late 1950s, the study of retinal cells in vitro was in its infancy. Today, retinal cell and tissue culture is routinely used for studies of cel l growth, differentation, cytotoxicity, gene expression, and cell death. Th is review discusses the major classifications of retinal cell and tissue cu lture, including primary cell/explant models, retinoblastoma cell lines, an d genetically engineered cell lines. These topics are addressed in an histo rical perspective, coupled with present-day applications for this continual ly-developing technology.