Insect Cells in Culture

Insect cells, as with other animal cells, feature a cell membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, and other internal organelles and macromolecular assemblies. Unlike plant cells, equipped with environmentally resistant plant walls, insect cells must able to balance internal and external ionic solutions of potassium and sodium. This is particularly problematic for aquatic and wetland species that spend at least a significant portion of their life stages submerged in water, and may partially explain why marine insect species are generally lacking.