coculture
noun
co·cul·ture
ˌkō-ˈkəl-chər 
variants
or co-culture
plural cocultures or co-cultures
: the act or process of culturing two types of cells or tissue in the same medium
a coculture of pancreatic tumor cells and fibroblasts
co-culture conditions/studies
coculture
transitive verb
or co-culture
cocultured or co-cultured; coculturing or co-culturing
They encouraged the fusion of fibroblasts and embryonic stem cells by coculturing cells of both types in an agent that facilitates membrane fusion …
—
Elizabeth G. Phimister
Elizabeth G. Phimister
Cite this Entry
“Coculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coculture. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
coculture
noun
co·cul·ture
ˌkō-ˈkəl-chər
variants
or co-culture
: the act or process of growing two types of living material (such as cells) in prepared nutrient media
Although monotypic cell cultures are valuable in characterizing cell-specific responses to unconjugated bilirubin, they are less informative than coculture studies, which allow exploration of cell-cell interactions that are probably critical for tissue homeostasis and overall CNS function.—Jon F. Watchko et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
Jon F. Watchko et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
coculture
transitive verb
or co-culture
They encouraged the fusion of fibroblasts and embryonic stem cells by coculturing cells of both types in an agent that facilitates membrane fusion …
—Elizabeth G. Phimister, The New England Journal of Medicine
Elizabeth G. Phimister, The New England Journal of Medicine
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