ISOLATION, CULTURE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A PRIMARY FIBROBLAST CELL-LINE FROM CHANNEL CATFISH

A primary cell line (designated as CCf) derived from caudal fin tissue of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, was developed using explant techniques. The cell line grew fastest in media supplied with FBS and; channel catfish serum. The duplication time of the cell line under op timal conditions was similar to 56 h at a plating density of 1.1 x 10( 5) cells/ml. The cell line has been propagated continuously for 25 pas sages (1:4 dilution per passage), cryopreserved, and recovered success fully at different passages. The cultured cells had fibroblastic morph ology, and synthesized fibronectin and Type I and III collagens in the cytoplasm. The cell line maintained the normal diploid chromosome num ber (58) of channel catfish throughout the experiment. Nucleolus organ izer regions were located on the short arms of a pair of medium-sized submetacentrics, which is typical for channel catfish. This study prov ides a method for acquiring a cell line from juvenile catfish without sacrifice, and is especially useful for early screening of valuable fi shes.