title: Cell culture from sponges: pluripotency and immortality.
abstract: Sponges are a source of compounds with potential pharmaceutical applications. In this article, methods of sponge cell culture for production of these bioactive compounds are reviewed, and new approaches for overcoming the problem of metabolite supply are examined. The use of embryos is proposed as a new source of sponge material for cell culture. Stem cells are present in high amounts in embryos and are more versatile and resistant to infections than adult cells. Additionally, genetic engineering and cellular research on apoptotic mechanisms are promising new fields that might help to improve cell survival in sponge-cell lines. We propose that one topic for future research should be how to reduce apoptosis, which appears to be very high in sponge cell cultures.
authors.affiliation: Food and Bioprocess Engineering Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. sonia@ceab.csic.es
authors.forename: Sònia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Caralt
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Uriz
authors.forename: René H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wijffels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011161:Porifera / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*