The production of primmorphs from disassociated cells of sponges, corals and other invertebrates, and use thereof

摘要

This invention relates to the establishment of a novel method of culturing sponge cells, coral cells and cells from other invertebrates in vitro. The cells cultured in vitro, which can be cultured as units similar to aggregates, are referred to as primmorphs. The method makes the following methods possible for the first time, using cells/aggregates/primmorphs from sponges, corals and other invertebrates:Methods(i) of preparing substances which modulate proliferation and DNA synthesis,(ii) of identifying/detecting environmentally harmful substances,(iii) of culturing bacteria and other micro-organisms,(iv) of preparing asexual reproductive bodies that can be used in aquaculture for growing corresponding organisms,(v) of preparing cell libraries,(vi) of optimising the nutritional requirements of the cells/aggregates/primmorphs, and(vii) of identifying substances which modulate telomerase activity in cells/aggregates/primmorphs.