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closeIn vitro typo
Posted by MichaelC on 01 Jun 2011 at 20:52 GMT
In reading this paper, I noticed that the authors claimed to have performed in vitro experiments. Upon reading the materials and methods, it appears that all of the promoter activity assays were performed in vivo using luciferase as the experimental readout. Please make sure to update this error as the interpretations are different depending on in vitro or in vivo experiments.
RE: In vitro typo
Vertebrate replied to MichaelC on 03 Jun 2011 at 01:12 GMT
Dear MichaelC,
Thank you for your comment. However, there might be a semantical problem: cell culture experiments are generally regarded as "in vitro", since "in vivo" refers to whole organisms, e. g. immunization studies in mice are so-called "in vivo" studies. Although the results reported here were performed in whole cells, the experiments were performed in a "reaction tube", along the lines of "in vitro fertilization - "and that is all what "in vitro" means: "vitro" (vitrum, n., n.), in Latin, is the "glass tube" or "reaction tube".
Besides all that, the experiments are described accurately and in detail, including the correct use of terminology (and semantics).
RE: RE: In vitro typo
MichaelC replied to Vertebrate on 09 Jun 2011 at 19:15 GMT
Dear Vertebrate,
Thank you for the clarification. I approached the paper as a biochemist, not used to thinking about isolated cells as 'in vitro.'
I understand the etymology of in vitro, but perhaps there should be different terms to communicate the differences between transcription initiation within whole, intact cells vs. purified, reconstituted transcription factors. Each would be labeled as 'in vitro transcription' even though they correspond to dramatically different techniques and interpretations.