ESTABLISHMENT OF A GILL CELL LINE PHG FROM THE STRIPED CATFISH Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (SAUVAGE, 1878)

Cell line is one of the mostly used in vitro tools for carrying out in vitro research in virology toxicology, carcinogenesis and trangenesis. Piscine cell lines have been increasingly used as important model systems in embryology, neurobiology, endocrinology and environmental biology. Fish cell lines have been used for toxicological assessment of aquatic pollutants and environmental samples as a valuable, rapid, and cost effective tool. Further, cell culture systems can be used to study and identify new biomarkers and also in the drug development process. Several cell lines have been developed from different kind of fishes.

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, commonly called as the striped or sutchi catfish, is an important aquaculture in India. A permanent cell line PHG was developed and maintained in Leibovitz's- 15 medium supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum. The cell line consisted predominantly of fibroblast-like cells. The PHG cells grew at temperatures ranging from 24 to 30 ⁰C with an optimum temperature of 28 ⁰C. Sequences analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene from the developed cell line authenticated the true identity of the cell line. The cell line was transfected with pEGFP plasmid and successfully expressed transfection of GFP reporter gene with 9% transfection efficiency. The developed cell line would be useful for in vitro toxicological and gene expression studies