Meeting Abstract
We are interested in characterizing aspects of the ctenophore gut by observing properties of endodermally derived cells as well as giant smooth muscle cells in culture. Therefore we have developed a primary cell culture system which can be utilized to individually isolate these adult somatic cell types from Mnemiopsis leidyi, a lobate ctenophore. Our primary cell cultures are derived from tissue explants and maintained in a complex undefined media. These in vitro cell cultures can be used to approximate the in vivo cellular environment. Approximately 24 hours after explant removal, cultures are screened for the presence of the desired characteristic cell types. We then continue to visually monitor primary cell cultures for proliferation and changes in cell morphology and/or differentiation for several weeks. Cells derived from endoderm often present as clonally proliferative round cells that are heavily ciliated and also contain distinct darkly pigmented organelles. These endodermal derived cells divide approximately once every 24 hours. Terminally differentiated giant smooth muscle cells do not appear to divide in culture and generally present as hyper-elongated cells exhibiting contractile properties. During the first 48 hours, these muscle cells retain a consistent morphology, generally exhibiting a large diameter that is relatively constant throughout the cell body. Over the course of the next several days, the morphology of these cells dramatically changes with the cells bodies developing multiple processes and anasotmosing. Experiments to further characterize these primary cell cultures will facilitate our ongoing molecular genetic analysis of unique aspects of cell differentiation associated with ctenophore development and evolutionary history from a cell biological perspective.
