title: In vitro sponge fragment culture of Chondrosia reniformis (Nardo, 1847).
abstract: In vitro cultivation systems for sponges (Porifera) have to be developed to produce compounds of value in biotechnological processes. Organotypic culture attempts, which maintain or mimic the natural tissue structure, are promising ways towards a biotechnology of sponges. We used the Mediterranean species Chondrosia reniformis for sponge fragment in vitro cultivation. The species is common throughout the Mediterranean, easy to keep in aquariums and shows good recovery and regeneration after fragmentation. The regeneration process of the 50-80 mm(3) fragments lasted for several days and resulted in a rounded or ovoid body shape. The aquiferous system was reduced. Cells performed proliferation during the first weeks as we could demonstrate by 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) incorporation. No proliferation could be demonstrated after a culture period of 3 months, but silicate uptake. Cellular density decreased with cultivation length, but collagen production increased. Fragments have been kept in culture up to 19 months. C. reniformis can be used as a model system to develop feeding strategies and evaluate the biotechnological potential of sponge fragment in vitro cultivation.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Zoologie, Biologisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brümmer
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D008386:Marine Biology / Q000379:methods; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D011161:Porifera / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D012623:Seawater; D017640:Silicates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D017640:Silicates