[Nescafe]

Hi,

I read that inline normal cells cancer cells can grow in suspension like agar... What? What does it mean in suspension?
Nescafé.

[Arkcon]

Cells are grown in suspension by using low melting point agar.  Basically, the agar is heated just enough to melt it, then living cells (we can culture bacteria this way, as well) are added, and the agar is allowed to solidify.  If the experimenter has done it correctly, the cells won't be killed by the heat, the agar won't solidify before pouring, and the cells will be suspended, and colonies of bacteria, or cancerous tissue can grow in 3 dimensions, just like they would within a living thing.

[Nescafe]

Thanks. So normal cells won't grow under such circumstance but cancer cells will?

[Yggdrasil]

Normal cells are generally difficult to grow in culture because many cell types in the body will not normally undergo cell division.  Those that do often require specific conditions in order to divide (e.g. the presence of certain growth factors, contact with neighboring cells).  Furthermore, because of telomere shortening, normal cells will be able to undergo a limited number of cell divisions before they become senescent.

Cancer cells have often acquired mutations that remove these limitations and allow unlimited cell division in the absence of growth signals.

[Babcock_Hall]

Normal cells stop growing when they reach confluence, but cancer cells do not.  I am not sure whether or not this is relevant to your question.
http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/References/gibco-cell-culture-basics/cell-culture-protocols/maintaining-cultured-cells.html