An Effective Culture System for Studying in Vitro Mitogenic Responses of Channel Catfish Lymphocytes

Abstract

Lymphocytes of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus can be stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (ConA) to synthesize deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in vitro. The importance of the proper serum supplement and tonicity of the culture medium was established empirically. Responses to LPS were temperature-independent whereas the responses to ConA were suppressed at lower temperatures. Although peripheral blood and splenic lymphocytes exhibited similar responses to both mitogens, anterior kidney cells did not respond, probably due to the high background levels of DNA synthesis in this highly hematopoietic organ. Received September 27, 1982 Accepted June 12, 1983