Jf. Lapeyre et al., INVITRO-PROPAGATION OF THE PROTOZOAN PERKINSUS-MARINUS, A PATHOGEN OFTHE EASTERN OYSTER, CRASSOSTREA-VIRGINICA, The Journal of eukaryotic microbiology, 40(3), 1993, pp. 304-310
Perkinsus marinus, a pathogen of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginic
a), has been successfully propagated in vitro. Cultures of the parasit
e were initiated from heart fragments of an infected oyster. The cultu
red protozoan (designated Perkinsus-1) was similar in morphology at bo
th the light and transmission electron microscopy levels to histozoic
stages of P. marinus in naturally infected oysters. In addition, cultu
red cells incubated in fluid thioglycollate medium produced enlarged c
ells (prezoosporangia) that stained blue-black in Lugol's solution, a
response characteristic to Perkinsus spp. and used in routine diagnosi
s. Polyclonal antibodies raised against P. marinus prezoosporangia rea
cted positively to Perkinsus- 1. Finally, the cultured cells infected
susceptible oysters and reisolation of Perkinsus-1 cells was possible
from the hearts of experimentally infected oysters. The culture medium
contained most of the known constituents of cell-free hemolymph of oy
sters. The success achieved in culturing P. marinus will allow further
investigations aimed at reducing mortalities caused by this important
oyster pathogen and at addressing many unanswered questions about its
biology and pathobiology.