FREE-LIVING CELLS RELEASED FROM THALLI OF SARGASSUM-HORNERI (PHAEOPHYTA) IN CULTURE

Free-living cells were found on the inner surface of culture vessels c ontaining unialgal cultures of Sargassum horneri thalli. These cells g rew and formed cell aggregations producing numerous aplanospores. Rele ased aplanospores increased in size and after division formed cell agg regations again. These cells were considered to be released from the b asal portion of the Sargassum thalli since cells of similar shape and colour were produced when pieces of basal shoots were cultured on agar medium. While callus and protoplast cultures have been obtained from several macroalgal species using biotechnological methods, such sponta neous production of free cells has not been reported for macroalgae be fore. These results may provide a new insight into the ecology and phy siology of S. horneri.