The term “cell culture” is often used interchangeably with “tissue culture”. Cell culture remains integral with virology, as viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that require replication within a living cell to produce copies of themselves (i.e., to form progeny virions). Both animal and plant cells are propagated in cell cultures.

Viral culture is a laboratory technique in which samples of a virus are placed to different cell lines which the virus being tested for its ability to infect. If the cells show changes, known as cytopathic effects, then the culture is positive.