Bringing cell biology into classroom: tips to culture and observe skeletal muscle cells in high school and college

Watching living cells through a microscope is much more exciting than seeing pictures of cells in high school and college textbooks. However, bringing cell cultures into the classroom is challenging for biology teachers since culturing cells requires sophisticated and expensive instruments such as a CO2 incubator and an inverted phase-contrast microscope. Here, we describe easy and affordable methods to culture and observe skeletal muscle cells using the L-15 culture medium, tissue culture flask, standard dry incubator, standard upright microscope, and modified Smartphone microscope. Watching natural living cells in a "Do-It-Yourself (DIY)" way may inspire more students' interest in cell biology.