Developing a Cell Culture System from Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus, L.) Ovarian Tissue in Egypt

Cell culture from ovarian tissue of healthy female fingerlings Oreochromis niloticus was established with average weight of 20 to 30 gm/female. Three culture media were screened and tested: Leibowitz L-15), Minimum essential medium (MEM) and RPMI 1640 medium. Cells were maintained at 16, 27 or 30C for screening the favorable optimally incubation temperature. Culture medium was refreshed every 5 days. Among the three tested media, L-15 supplemented with 20% (FBS) supported higher cells attachment leading to cell proliferation than MEM and RPMI that didn’t enhance the cell development and no cell proliferation was obtained with them. At different incubation temperature no proliferation were obtained when cells were incubated at 16C compared with 27C and 30C. This work is one of the rare reports of a cell culture system establishment in Egypt and unique from the ovarian tissue of O. niloticus. By using this technique, it should now be possible to develop different method of curing treatments and pathogens diagnosis because the fish can be bred in captivity and fingerlings reared under laboratory conditions.