This handy reference describes the fundamental principles and procedures underlying the successful isolation of viable, functionally intact cells from mammalian endocrine tissues, and their maintenance as primary cultures. The cell types selected for coverage illustrate the diversity of endocrine tissues from which cells have been isolated, and the range of procedures that have been devised to ensure the optimal survival and behavior of each cell type under study. The book places particular emphasis on the provision of detailed protocols describing, step by step, the manipulations necessary to establish differentiated and responsive cultures. The chapters have been prepared by authors who have direct practical experience with the cell types covered, therefore providing the reader with first-hand accounts on the background to each procedure, the avoidance of potential problems and pitfalls, and the fundamental questions in endocrinology that may be addressed using each cell culture model.