Cell cultures from marine invertebrates: obstacles, new approaches and recent improvements

The establishment of cell lines from marine invertebrates has been encounte red with obstacles. Contrary to insects and arachnids where the development of a variety of cell lines has become routine, there is no single establis hed cell line from marine invertebrates. This review examines the activity in the field of marine invertebrate cell cultures within the last decade (1 988-1998). During this period, attempts (90 peer reviewed studies in additi on to many other abstracts, chapters in books, symposia presentations and r eports) were limited to a few species within only six phyla (Porifera, Cnid aria, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Urochordata; in addition to fresh water/terrestrial annelids and platyhelminths). These studies which are sum marized here, on one hand indicated ubiquitous problems and on the other, u nique characterizations to each phylum studied. Only one-third of the studi es revealed cultures of 1 month or longer but most of these were long-term cultures found or suspiciously considered to be contaminated by other unice llular eukaryotic organisms, mainly by thraustochytrids. Three unique appro aches/obstacles for marine invertebrate cell cultures (source of cell, cryo preservation and eukaryotic contaminants) are further discussed. The overal l impact of recent improvements and developed protocols raises the suggesti on for testing different, novel routes in the establishment of cell culture s from marine invertebrates. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.