3. 2D models as a historic alternative to animal experimentation

Historically, toxicological approaches in in vivo models have been enriched by the use of primary cell models or human cell lines in culture. They enable us to significantly reduce experimental costs, test a wide range of parameters using the methods described above, and carry out high-throughput screening. They also offer the advantage of overcoming the inter-species barrier by assessing contaminant toxicity on human cells. Cell models are based on the growth of normal or transformed cells on a flat surface providing mechanical support for cells immersed in a well-defined culture medium containing nutrients and growth factors to enable growth and expression of a morphological, metabolic and functional phenotype as close as possible to the original tissue. These models are the tools of choice for exploring many parameters relevant to mechanistic toxicology, from plasma membrane integrity...