Hemocytes and Embrionic Cells of Blue Mussel
in vitro
Hemocytes
of Mytilus edulis were obtained asepticaly from
posterior aductor. In our in vitro culture system they
survived for up to 3 months and showed adequate cell reactions
and behaviour. About two weeks after culture initiated hemocytes
became motile and actively moved from one to another cell aggregation.
No cell growth was noted.
At least two types
of hemocyte behavior were found in in vitro cultures.
The first one, amoeboid motion was shown by cells with high
motility. Another cells were less motile and formed around nuclear
region a widely spread lamellopodia. Both types evidently interacted
due to cell contacts established temporally were a trivial phenomenon.
Embrionic
cells (EmbC) of blue mussel were co-cultured with hemocytes
of the same specie with remarkble success. Without hemocytes
EmbC did not attach to a substrate and mostly existed in a suspension.
In presence of hemocytes embrionic cells not only formed aggregates
but spread over plastic surface and seemed like differentiated
into "amoebocyte" phenotype.
Enigmatic phenomenon was found in co-cultures of hemocytes
and embrionic cells. Syncytiesof EmbC
(large cell in left figure) with very active cytoskeleton
were often found in such cultures.
A.M. Gorbushin; October 9,
2002
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movie about cell motion in vitro contact us.
