How long does a cell live outside a living host?

[Aka]

Hi, how long does a cell, normal and cancerous, live outside a living host?

[insane_alien]

that would depend on quite a few things such as(but not limited to) the amount of fuel stored in the cell, ability to transpire gaseous oxygen, waste tolerance, temerature tolerances, metabolism and so on. if you give us a list of cells then we could better answer your question

[YT2095]

Indefinately depending upon the Cell.

there`s insufficient data in your question for an accurate answer.

[Aka]

if you give us a list of cells then we could better answer your question

 

Squamous cell

Gonadotropes

Hepatocytes

pneumocyte

pericyte

muscle fiber

Red blood cells

mast cell

Merkel cells

Squamous

 

Thanks

[insane_alien]

i meant to say and the conditions as well. are they left in air, agar, vacuum, hot, cold what? we need all the info you can supply us with.

[ecoli]

I think something depends on what you mean by alive, too. Would you consider a tissue culture alive? The cells might be alive, but it's not a living organism.

[Aka]

^ sorry, if they were in air at room temperature, on a surface. Alive as in preforming cell functions, metabolism, reproduction etc.

[Rocket Man]

someone sneezed on something that ended up on the moon or something, i think it was either analysed there or taken back as a sample, im not too sure on the details but the common cold survived 3 years in a total vacuum and tremendous radiation and then continued multiplying when conditions became favourable.

[Glider]

Squamous cell

Gonadotropes

Hepatocytes

pneumocyte

pericyte

muscle fiber

Red blood cells

mast cell

Merkel cells

Squamous

 

Thanks

One of this list ain't like the other ones...

one of this list just don't belong...

doo-doodedoo

 

Red blood cells (erythrocytes) aren't 'alive' to begin with. Unlike the other cells in the list, they have no DNA, no nucleus and no metabolism.

[CharonY]

[nitpick] You mean mammalian erythrocytes, right? [/nitpick]

[Glider]

Yes. Presumably the OP was talking about mammalian cells.