what is in vitro experiment

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In Vivo vs. In Vitro: What Are the Differences?

Both can advance medical knowledge but have unique limitations

• Definitions

In Vitro Medical Studies

In vivo clinical trials.

The terms "in vivo" and "in vitro" describe different types of scientific research. "In vivo" means research done on a living organism, while "in vitro" means research done in a laboratory dish or test tube.

Both types of studies are used by medical researchers developing drugs or studying diseases. Each type has benefits and drawbacks. 

In Vivo vs. In Vitro: Definitions

In vitro : The term in vitro comes from the Latin "in glass." It refers to a medical study or experiment that is done in the laboratory within the confines of a test tube or laboratory dish. This means tissue, cells, or other parts of an organism are removed and placed in a laboratory dish. Researchers may use these samples to test the action of a drug or study a disease process.

In vivo : The term in vivo comes from the Latin "in (something) living." It refers to a medical test, experiment, or procedure that is done on (or in) a living organism, such as a laboratory animal or human. 

Clinical trials or medical studies may be performed either in vivo or in vitro. These approaches are similar in that they are both done in order to make advances in the knowledge and treatment of illness and disease as well as understanding "wellness" and normal bodily functions.

But there are also many important differences in how in vivo and in vitro studies are conducted, how they can be interpreted, and the practical applications of any discoveries which are made.

Medical studies (such as looking at the ability of a drug to treat cancer) are often first performed in vitro—either in a test tube or laboratory dish. An example would be growing cancer cells  in a dish outside of the body to study them and possible treatments.

Studies are usually done in vitro first for ethical reasons. In vitro studies allow a substance to be studied safely, without subjecting humans or animals to the possible side effects or toxicity of a new drug.

Researchers learn as much as possible about a drug before exposing humans to potential negative effects. If a chemotherapy drug , for example, does not work on cancer cells grown in a dish, it would be unethical to have humans use the drug and risk the potential toxicity.

In vitro studies are important in that they allow more rapid development of new treatments—many drugs can be studied at one time (and they can be studied in a large number of samples of cells) and only those that appear to be efficacious go on to human studies.

An absence of biokinetics (how the body transports and metabolized drugs and toxins) is one of the significant drawbacks of in vitro studies. This, as well as several other factors, can make it very difficult to extrapolate the results of in vitro tests. Thus, it's hard to know what might be expected when the drug is used in vivo.

In contrast to in vitro studies, in vivo studies are needed to see how the body as a whole will respond to a particular substance.

In some cases in vitro studies of a drug will be promising, but subsequent in vivo studies fail to show any efficacy (or, on the other hand, find a drug to be unsafe) when used within the multiple metabolic processes that are continually taking place in the body.

An example of how in vivo studies are needed to evaluate drugs is with respect to drug absorption in the body. A new drug may appear to work in a dish, but not in the human body. It could be that the drug is not absorbed when it passes through the stomach, so it has little effect on humans.

In other cases, even if a drug is given intravenously , the drug might break down through continuous body reactions. Therefore, the drug would not be effective when used directly in humans.

It's important to note that oftentimes in vivo studies are first done in non-human animals such as mice. These studies allow researchers an opportunity to see how a drug works amid other bodily processes.

Mice and humans have important differences. Sometimes a drug that is effective in mice will not be effective in humans (and vice versa) due to inherent differences in the species. 

A Word From Verywell

When you look at studies done to evaluate cancer treatments—or any other treatments—checking to see which kind of study it is (in vivo vs in vitro) is an important first step.

In vitro studies are extremely important and lay the groundwork for further research, but many of these studies declare findings that are interesting—but will not affect you as an individual for quite some time to come.

In contrast, in vivo studies are looking at the actual effect on an organism—whether a laboratory animal or a human.

Saeidnia, S., Manayi, A., and M. Abdollahi. From in vitro experiments to in vivo and clinical studies; Pros and cons . Current Drug Discovery Technologies . 2015. 12(4):218-24. doi:10.2174/1570163813666160114093140

Kilkenny C, Browne W, Cuthill IC, Emerson M, Altman DG; NC3Rs Reporting Guidelines Working Group. Animal research: Reporting in vivo experiments: the ARRIVE guidelines .  Br J Pharmacol . 2010;160(7):1577–1579. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00872.x

By Lynne Eldridge, MD  Lynne Eldrige, MD, is a lung cancer physician, patient advocate, and award-winning author of "Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time."

Home » Science » Biology » Difference Between in vitro and in vivo

Difference Between in vitro and in vivo

Main difference – in vitro vs in vivo.

In vitro , in vivo , and in silico are the three types of experimental models used in biological science laboratories. The  main difference  between  in vitro  and  in vivo  is that   in vitro  refers to the experimental procedures performed outside a living organism whereas  in vivo  refers to the experimental procedures performed within a living organism . In silico refers to the experiments performed on the computer. In vivo experiments are performed under physiological conditions while i n vitro experiments are performed under controlled laboratory conditions.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is in vitro      – Definition, Facts, Examples 2. What is in vivo      – Definition, Facts, Examples 3. What are the Similarities Between in vitro and in vivo      – Outline of Common Features 4. What is the Difference Between in vitro and in vivo      – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms: Experimental Models, In vitro, In silico, In vivo, Laboratory Conditions, Physiological Conditions

What is i n vitro

In vitro refers to a phenomenon in which a given procedure is performed in a controlled environment outside of a living organism. The majority of cellular experiments are performed in vitro as it is less expensive. But, the regeneration of the physiological conditions of an organism is difficult inside a test tube. Therefore, the results of the in vitro experiments are less precise. This means the results of in vitro experiments do not correspond to the circumstances occurring around living organisms. A bacterial culture is shown in figure 1.

Figure 1: Bacterial Culture

In vitro experiments are performed using the extracted cellular components from their regular biological environments. The cellular components can be microorganisms, cells, organelles or biological molecules. The cells and microorganisms are grown in artificial culture media while biological molecules are studied in solutions. The in vitro experiments are performed in Petri dishes, test tubes or flasks.   

What is in vivo

In vivo refers to a phenomenon in which experiments are performed using a whole, living organism. The two forms of in vivo experiments are animal studies and clinical trials during drug development. The overall effect of the experiment on a living organism can be observed in in vivo techniques. Thus, in vivo experiments are more precise than in vitro experiments. The main objective of in vivo experiments is to gain knowledge about biological systems or discover drugs.  A lab mouse is shown in figure 2.

Figure 2: Lab Mouse

However, in vivo experiments are more expensive and require more advanced techniques during the experiment. Mice, rabbit, and apes are the three main types of living organisms used in in vivo techniques.

Similarities Between in vitro and in vivo

• In vitro and in vivo are two types of experimental models used in laboratories.
• Both in vitro and in vivo experiments are performed under a given set of conditions.
• Fertilization can be performed in both in vitro and in vivo

Difference Between  in vitro  and  in vivo

In vitro: In vitro refers to a phenomenon in which a given procedure is performed in a controlled environment outside of a living organism.

In vivo: In vivo refers to a phenomenon in which experiments are performed using a whole, living organism.

Types of Samples

In vitro: Dead organisms or isolated cellular components are used in in vitro experiments.

In vivo: A whole living organism is used in in vivo experiments.

In vitro: In vitro experiments are performed under controlled laboratory conditions.

In vivo: In vivo experiments are performed under physiological conditions.

In vitro: In vitro experiments are less expensive.

In vivo: In vivo experiments are expensive.

In vitro: In vitro experiments are less time-consuming.

In vivo: In vivo experiments are more time-consuming.

In vitro: In vitro experiments are less precise.

In vivo: In vivo experiments are more precise.

In vitro:  Cell culture experiments in Petri dishes and experiments in test tubes are examples of in vitro.

In vivo:  Drug testing experiments performed by using model organisms such as mice, rabbit, apes etc. are examples.

Fertilization

In vitro: In vitro fertilization (IVF) refers to the artificial fertilization method in which fusion of male and female gametes occurs outside the human body.

In vivo: Regular fertilization mechanism in which the fusion of male and female gametes occurs within the body is referred to as in vivo fertilization.

In vitro and in vivo are two types of experimental methods used in laboratories. In vitro experiments are performed in test tubes. These experiments are performed under laboratory conditions. But, in vivo experiments are performed within living organisms. These experiments take place under physiological conditions. The main difference between in vitro and in vivo is the type of conditions under which each type of experiments are performed.

1. Pearson, R M. “In-Vitro techniques: can they replace animal testing?” Human reproduction (Oxford, England)., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 1986, Available here . 2.“In vivo.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Jan. 2018, Available here .

Image Courtesy:

1. “Bacterial culture” By Joydeep – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia 2. “Lab mouse mg 3213” By Rama – Own work (CC BY-SA 2.0 fr) via Commons Wikimedia

About the Author: Lakna

Lakna, a graduate in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, is a Molecular Biologist and has a broad and keen interest in the discovery of nature related things. She has a keen interest in writing articles regarding science.

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In Vivo vs In Vitro : Definition, Pros and Cons

In this article, we will define the terms in vivo and in vitro and further evaluate the pros and cons of analysis using these methods with detailed examples..

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In vivo vs in vitro definitions

If you have read any scientific study that involves biological or medical research, then you may have encountered the terms “ in vivo ” and “ in vitro ” throughout the text. The etymological origins of in vivo and in vitro come from Latin; in vivo describes something “within a living organism” while in vitro describes something “in glass” such as a test tube or petri dish. In this article, we will define these terms and further evaluate the pros and cons of analysis using in vivo and in vitro methods with detailed examples.

In vitro and in vivo models in drug development

Before an experimental drug is studied in vivo , its mechanism of action and complexity need to be thoroughly evaluated using in vitro models. In vitro models provide a starting point for researchers to gather insights into how a cell responds to a new drug in a controlled, isolated environment.

Cell Culture – Good Practice and Advanced Methods

For example, in vitro tumor models provide low-cost platforms for a pharmaceutical company to study the biological effects of experimental drug candidates against cancer cell lines. Results from these studies can inform researchers about the molecular mechanisms of each drug candidate and how these mechanisms may influence cancerous cells under defined conditions. However, these results are extremely difficult to extrapolate a clinical effect 2 from as they studies were not performed in an intact, living organism, where far more biological variables are in play. Once a drug candidate demonstrates effectiveness through a series of in vitro experiments, in vivo models can be employed to advance drug development studies. These preclinical studies typically involve the use of animals to further evaluate the safety, efficacy and delivery of a drug candidate. For example, rodent models inoculated with tumor cells 3 are commonly used to screen anti-tumor drug candidates that exhibited promising results throughout previously performed in vitro studies.

What is in vitro testing?

Organ-on-a-chip, microphysiological system, what is in vivo testing.

Humans and animals share a lot of anatomical and physiological features with comparable functions. Consequently, animal testing and clinical trials make up the bedrock of in vivo studies involving drug discovery.

Animal models (preclinical)

Before a drug candidate is tested in human subjects, it must undergo rigorous animal testing to further evaluate its toxicity, metabolism and overall efficacy. Vertebrate animal models such as rodents, primates, dogs and rabbits are commonly used for preclinical in vivo studies. Mice are the most used vertebrate species due to a combination of factors such as size, ease of handling, fast reproduction and low cost. Mice also share 95% of their genes with humans, 5  which makes them very attractive models for studying human diseases. These factors contribute to their usefulness when it comes to evaluating the safety and efficacy of drug candidates at the preclinical stage.

Human trials (clinical)

Once a drug candidate has demonstrated sufficient efficacy and safety during animal studies, human studies may commence. Researchers at this stage are interested in assessing whether a treatment is safe and effective for its intended population of subjects. Humans who partake in a clinical trial will be closely monitored to evaluate the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic qualities of the experimental therapy over time. These trials need to perform such analyses with continued monitoring afterward so that drug candidates can be thoroughly evaluated to be safe and effective.

References: 1.  Lorian V. Differences between in vitro and in vivo studies. Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1988;32(10):1600-1601. doi:  10.1128/AAC.32.10.1600 2.  Gillette JR. Problems in correlating In vitro and In vivo studies of drug metabolism. In: Benet L.Z., Levy G., Ferraiolo B.L. (eds) Pharmacokinetics . Springer, Boston, MA. 1984. doi:  10.1007/978-1-4613-2799-8_19 3.  Miwa T, Kanda M, Umeda S, et al. Establishment of peritoneal and hepatic metastasis mouse xenograft models using gastric cancer cell lines. In Vivo . 2019;33(6):1785-1792. doi:  10.21873/invivo.11669 4.  Lee J, Kim S. Kidney-on-a-Chip: A new technology for predicting drug efficacy, interactions, and drug-induced nephrotoxicity. Curr Drug Metab . 2018;19(7):577-583. doi:  10.2174/1389200219666180309101844 5.  Pennacchio LA. Insights from human/mouse genome comparisons. Mamm Genome. 2003;14(7):429-436. doi:  10.1007/s00335-002-4001-1  

What is in vitro testing? In vitro testing is an essential component of biological research that provides a way to study the response of human, animal or microbial cells in culture.

What is in vivo testing? Humans and animals share a lot of anatomical and physiological features with comparable functions. Consequently, animal testing and clinical trials make up the bedrock of in vivo studies involving drug discovery.

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What is the difference between Ex vivo, In vivo and In vitro?

In vitro (Latin: in glass) studies in experimental biology are those that are conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological surroundings in order to permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms. Colloquially, these experiments are commonly called "test tube experiments". In contrast, in vivo work is that which is conducted with living organisms in their normal, intact state, while ex vivo studies are conducted on functional organs that have been removed from the intact organism.

Common examples of in vitro experiments include work that uses (a) cells derived from multicellular organisms (cell culture or tissue culture), (b) subcellular components (e.g.mitochondria or ribosomes), (c) cellular or subcellular extracts (e.g. wheat germ or reticulocyte extracts), or (d) purified molecules in the test tube (often proteins, DNA, or RNA, either individually or in combination).

In vivo (Latin for "within the living") is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro ("within the glass", i.e., in a test tube or petri dish) controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivoresearch. In vivo testing is often employed over in vitro because it is better suited for observing the overall effects of an experiment on a living subject. The maxim in vivo veritas ("in a living thing [there is] truth")[1] used to describe this type of testing is a play on words fromin vino veritas, in wine [there is] truth.

In microbiology in vivo is often used to refer to experimentation done in live isolated cells rather than in a whole organism, for example, cultured cells derived from biopsies. In this situation, the more specific term is ex vivo. Once cells are disrupted and individual parts are tested or analyzed, this is known as in vitro.

Ex vivo (Latin: "out of the living") means that which takes place outside an organism. In science, ex vivo refers to experimentation or measurements done in or on tissue in an artificial environment outside the organism with the minimum alteration of natural conditions. Ex vivo conditions allow experimentation under more controlled conditions than is possible in in vivo experiments (in the intact organism), at the expense of altering the "natural" environment.

The term ex vivo is often differentiated from the term in vitro ("within the glass") in that the tissue or cells need not be in culture; these two terms are not synonymous.

In cell biology, ex vivo procedures often involve living cells or tissues taken from an organism and cultured in a laboratory apparatus, usually under sterile conditions with no alterations for up to 24 hours. Experiments lasting longer than this using living cells or tissue are typically considered to be in vitro. One widely performed ex vivo study is the chickchorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. In this assay, angiogenesis is promoted on the CAM membrane of a chicken embryo outside the organism (chicken).

Souce: NovoPro     2018-02-26