[Description of a tissue culture technique using tissue from mussel (Mytilus edulis) for the preparation of chromosomes].

Explants from mantle and foot tissues of adult mussel were grown in culture tubes containing a medium composed of Eagle's Basal Medium supplemented with salts, Hepes buffer, egg yolk and antibiotics. The cultures were maintained at 18 degrees C and pH 7.50, without medium renewal. After 6-7 days, the cultures were stopped and harvested for slide preparation. Numerous metaphase spreads that were good enough for karyotyping were consistently obtained. This method may prove to be a reliable source of actively dividing cells that is a prerequisite for extensive chromosome structure analyses in the bivalves.