title: Cultivation of primmorphs from the marine sponge Suberites domuncula: morphogenetic potential of silicon and iron.
abstract: Marine demosponges (phylum Porifera) are rich sources for potent bioactive compounds. With the establishment of the primmorph system from sponges, especially from Suberites domuncula, the technology to cultivate sponge cells in vitro improved considerably. This progress was possible after the elucidation that sponges are provided with characteristic metazoan cell adhesion receptors and extracellular matrix molecules which allow their cells a positioning in a complex organization pattern. This review summarizes recent data on the cultivation of sponges in aquaria and--with main emphasis--of primmorphs in vitro. It is outlined that silicon and Fe(+++) contribute substantially to the formation of larger primmorphs (size of 10 mm) as well as of a canal system in primmorphs; canals are probably required for an improved oxygen and food supply. We conclude that the primmorph system will facilitate a sustainable use of sponges in the production of bioactive compounds; it may furthermore allow new and hitherto not feasible insights into basic questions on the origin of Metazoa.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Abteilung Angewandte Molekularbiologie, Universität, Duesbergweg 6, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Gaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Pennec
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perovic
authors.forename: Mohammed Shokry A
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ammar
authors.forename: Vladislav A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Grebenjuk
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brümmer
authors.forename: Werner E G
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D011161:Porifera / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D017640:Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D017640:Silicates; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron