Chapter 5
Insecta (Lepidoptera)
Many continuous cell lines have been established from various tissues of
lepidopteran insects, mostly for the purposes of study or the large-scale
production of insect viruses.
Subprotocol 1
Ovaries
Ovaries have been cultured often since Trager's (1935) pioneering work
on the cultivation of silkworm ovarian cells. Consequently, many continuous cell lines have been made from cultures of ovarian tissues of
Lepidoptera. Most commonly, ovaries from pupae are used because the
ovaries develop markedly at this stage by means of frequent mitosis, and
also because this active stage is considered to provide suitable material
that produces proliferating cells in culture. However, ovaries of matured
larvae (Grace, 1967; Pant et aI., 1997) and adults (Hink, 1970; Hink and
Ignoffo, 1970) can also be used as explants for cell cultures.
Materials
- Dissecting microscope
- Dissecting tray (see chapter I, section 3 "Tools")
- Forceps, scissors
- Needles
- Pins
- Pasteur pipettes
- Maximov slides
- Small petri dish (3-5 cm diameter)
- Culture vessels
- Physiological solutions (see Comments)
- Culture media
- Sterile distilled water
To make sterile distilled water, autoclave distilled water for 15 min
- Larval, pupal, or imaginal lepidopteran insects
PROTOCOL
Equipment
Solutions
Sterile
water
Animals
Insecta (Lepidoptera)
Many continuous cell lines have been established from various tissues of
lepidopteran insects, mostly for the purposes of study or the large-scale
production of insect viruses.
Subprotocol 1
Ovaries
Ovaries have been cultured often since Trager's (1935) pioneering work
on the cultivation of silkworm ovarian cells. Consequently, many continuous cell lines have been made from cultures of ovarian tissues of
Lepidoptera. Most commonly, ovaries from pupae are used because the
ovaries develop markedly at this stage by means of frequent mitosis, and
also because this active stage is considered to provide suitable material
that produces proliferating cells in culture. However, ovaries of matured
larvae (Grace, 1967; Pant et aI., 1997) and adults (Hink, 1970; Hink and
Ignoffo, 1970) can also be used as explants for cell cultures.
Materials
- Dissecting microscope
- Dissecting tray (see chapter I, section 3 "Tools")
- Forceps, scissors
- Needles
- Pins
- Pasteur pipettes
- Maximov slides
- Small petri dish (3-5 cm diameter)
- Culture vessels
- Physiological solutions (see Comments)
- Culture media
- Sterile distilled water
To make sterile distilled water, autoclave distilled water for 15 min
- Larval, pupal, or imaginal lepidopteran insects
PROTOCOL
Equipment
Solutions
Sterile
water
Animals