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Background: Only a small fraction of bacteria in complex environmental samples, such as soil, water and sediments can at present be grown on synthetic media under laboratory conditions. Culturing these bacteria will widen our knowledge on genetic and metabolic processes present in the biosphere. Furthermore, a large number of pharmaceuticals are products of bacterial origin. These include antibiotics where there is a pressing need for new agents. This review discusses why many bacterial taxa resist culture in the laboratory and some of the strategies which are being implemented to meet this challenge. Materials and methods: The present work is based on a review of published studies in the field of bacterial cell culture, as well as knowledge gained during the authors’ many years of experience as analysists, researchers and teachers. Results/Discussion: Trying to mimic a bacterium’s natural environment by careful choice of the types and concentrations of components used in laboratory media, is one strategy that has been used to grow more taxa as pure cultures.Furthermore, microbiologists have discovered that some bacteria require growth factors produced by other bacteria. Coculture is a technique that has enabled culture of bacteria not previously seen on synthetic media.In a next generation approach, such as that represented by diffusion chambers, bacteria have been grown in their natural habitats. Isolated in small compartments which allow the free passage of molecules, cells are able to develop and divide under nearly authentic conditions. Such techniques have led to the discovery and harvesting of a number of new and useful molecules produced by bacteria. However, the majority of bacteria remain uncultured and their products are not at present available for us. It has been estimated that small molecules produced by bacteria amount to 109 unique entities and there are reasons to believe some of these may be new classes of antibiotics. Improvement of existing and development of new techniques for growing microbes will make available genetic and biochemical resources of value to pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries.