A permanent cell line of the crayfish Orconectes limosus as a potential model in comparative oncology

A cell line, designated OLGA-PH-J/92, was established from neuronal tissue of the crayfish Orconectes limosus. To date the cell line has been subcultured more than 150 times. From the original cell line two 'daughter' cell lines and one cloned cell line were isolated. Best growth was obtained when the cells were incubated in Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium supplemented with 6% fetal bovine serum at a temperature of 27 degrees C. Under these conditions the population doubling time lasted between 23 and 25 hours. The shape of the cells is dendritic, but can change to spherical when conditions are less optimal. The cell lines showed features of transformation, such as anchorage independence, loss of contact inhibition, and low serum requirement. The number of chromosomes found in the cell lines ranged from 11 to 136, while in the donor species numbered between 98 and 106. It will be of interest to study if the O. limosus cell lines grow malignantly in vivo. OLGA-PH-J/92 and the derivative cell lines should also be suitable for studying viral infections in crustaceans.