Title

In vitro cell-toxicity screening as an alternative animal model for coral toxicology: effects of heat stress, sulfide, rotenone, cyanide, and cuprous oxide on cell viability and mitochondrial function

Authors

Authors

C. A. Downs; J. E. Fauth; V. D. Downs;G. K. Ostrander

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Ecotoxicology

Keywords

Cell isolation; Coral; Cyanide; Cytotoxicity; Cuprous oxide; Sulfide; NONYL-ACRIDINE-ORANGE; SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION; COLORIMETRIC; ASSAY; HYDROGEN-SULFIDE; BLEACHING EVENT; REEF HEALTH; SMOKING; POLLUTION; FUTURE; DEATH; Ecology; Environmental Sciences; Toxicology

Abstract

The logistics involved in obtaining and maintaining large numbers of corals hampers research on the toxicological effects of environmental contaminants for this ecologically and economically important taxon. A method for creating and culturing single-cell suspensions of viable coral cells was developed. Cell segregation/separation was based on specific cell densities and resulting cell cultures were viable for at least 2 mos. Low-density cells lacking symbiotic zooxanthallae and rich in mitochondria were isolated and cultured for toxicity studies. Cells were exposed to differing degrees or concentrations of heat stress, rotenone, cyanide, sulfide, and cuprous oxide. Cells were assayed for mitochondrial membrane potential using the fluorescent probe, JC-9, and for overall viability using the MTT/formazan spectrophotometric viability assay. Significant differences were observed between controls and treatments and the efficacy of this method was validated; only 2 cm(2) of tissue was required for a seven-point concentration-exposure series.

Journal Title

Ecotoxicology

Volume

19

Issue/Number

1

Publication Date

1-1-2010

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

171

Last Page

184

WOS Identifier

WOS:000273032100017

ISSN

0963-9292

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