What do we mean by viability in terms of 'viable but non-culturable' cells?

Citation

Mu D, Du Z, Chen J, Austin B & Zhang X (2021) What do we mean by viability in terms of 'viable but non-culturable' cells?. Environmental Microbiology Reports, 13 (3), pp. 248-252. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.12953

Abstract
In a recent Opinion article (‘Viable But Non‐Culturable Cells’ are Dead, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15463), Song and Wood (2021) argued the cells that can rejuvenate and reconstitute infections are not part of a dormancy continuum. Instead, only persister cells are dormant and capable of re‐growth, whereas viable but non‐culturable (VBNC) cells are dead. We argue against this conclusion in light of multiple previous publications. Thus, we discuss the relations of death/non‐viability, dormancy and the culturability of Viable But Non‐Culturable (VBNC) cells. In essence, we address the issue about what is meant by ‘viability’?

Journal
Environmental Microbiology Reports: Volume 13, Issue 3