Use of isolated digestive-gland cells in the study of biochemical and physiological processes in gastropod molluscs

We describe a method for preparation and maintenance of isolated digestive- grand cells in the abalone, Haliotis kamtschatakana. Viability of the isola ted cells was confirmed by the fact that 18 h after preparation the cells e xhibited less than 5% staining with trypan blue and actively synthesized gl ycogen following the addition of glucose substrate. Use of the method in a 15-month study of metabolic activity of the digestive gland of H. kamtschat kana showed significant differences in oxygen consumption of isolated-cell preparations correlated with seasonal differences in somatic and gametogene tic growth, and with relative size of the digestive gland. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science Inc. All rights reserved.