Initiation and ultrastructure of a reptilian fibroblast cell line obtained from cutaneous fibropapillomas of the green turtle,Chelonia mydas

Abstract

Two fibroblastic cell lines were established from explants of fibropapillomas of each of two different green turtles (Chelonia mydas). These cells, designated GTFP (Green Turtle Fibropapilloma), were subcultured approximately 30 times at 30 degrees C in Eagle's minimal essential media supplemented with 2 to 10% fetal bovine serum. The ultrastructural morphology of the cultured fibroblasts is described. The cells contained abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, polyribosomes, and mitochondria; collagen fibrils were visible in the extracellular space. No viruslike particles or evidence of other pathogenic agents could be demonstrated by electron microscopy in any of the cultured cells examined.

Establishment and characterization of 13 cell lines from a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) with fibropapillomas

“…It should be noted that this optimal growth temperature was not due to the initial adaptation of green turtle cells cultivated at 30 ° C since the initial growth of green turtle cells progressed much slower when an alternative temperature (25 ° C) was selected (data not shown). This optimum growth temperature was identical to that reported for three cell lines previously established from green turtles (16,20,24). Interestingly, the incubation temperature for maximal growth was slightly higher than the preferred temperature (21-28 ° C) of green turtles in nature (15).…”

“…In addition to specific cell-tropism requirements, some viruses can be propagated only in cell lines derived from the same host species. Although three green turtle cell lines have been established previously, including an epithelial cell line derived from skin (16) ~To whom correspondence should be addressed at Retrovirology Research Laboratory, Pacific Biomedical Resem'eh Center, University of Hawaii, Leahi Hospital, 3675 Kilauea Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96816. and fibroblastic cell lines from cutaneous fibropapillomas (20) and green turtle embryos (24), there has been no documentation of virus isolation in these cell lines. In this report, we describe the successful establishment and characterization of 13 cell lines from various tissues/organs of a green turtle with fibropapillomas in an effort to rescue the possible latent viruses and to facilitate the isolation and identification of the possible etiologic virus(es) of GTFP.…”

In Vitro Thermal Effects on Embryonic Cells of Endangered Hawksbill TurtleEretmochelys imbricata

“…These include various cells from the heart of the box turtle, Terrapene carolina (Clark and Karzon, 1967;Huang and Clark, 1967), the skin of the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas (Koment and Haines, 1982), the heart and lung of the Tokai gecko, Gecko gecko, the heart, liver and kidney of the green iguana, Iguana iguana, the heart of the side-necked turtle, Podocnemis unifilis, and the spleen of the Grecian tortoise, Testudo graeca (Clark et al, 1970). Cell lines have also been established from cutaneous fibropapillomas of C. mydas (Mansell et al, 1989;Lu et al, 1999). However, embryonic cell cultures have not been established from the hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbrica.…”

A simple non-invasive protocol to establish primary cell lines from tail and toe explants for cytogenetic studies in Australian dragon lizards (Squamata: Agamidae)

“…Culture of tail and epidermal explants has been reported in one lizard (Anolis carolinensis Simpson and Cox 1967); and a turtle (Chelonia mydas Mansell et al 1989); while caudal fin explant has been used to establish primary cell lines in channel catfish (Zhang et al 1998). However, the majority of reported studies used either embryonic tissues or various organs collected post mortem (see Mansell et al 1989 and references therein).…”

“…However, the majority of reported studies used either embryonic tissues or various organs collected post mortem (see Mansell et al 1989 and references therein).…”