[Establishment of a fish-virus susceptible cell strain from the pituitary gland of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)].

A new continous cell strain (CaPi) was established from normal pituitary tissue of carp, L. Cells of a fractionated dispersion (0.25% trypsin-PBS, 10°C) of pituitaries formed monolayer (fibroblast- and epithelial-like-cells) at 25°C using Eagle's minimal essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and non essential amino acids. The continous cell strain, designated CaPi, was obtained by an enzymatical selection of epitheloid cells from the monolayer of the primary pituitary cell culture. This culture has been subcultered 70 times over a period of 24 months. CaPi-cells multiply over a temperature range of 15–35°C with an optimum growth temperature of 30°C at a seeding density of 1.7 × 10 cells/ml. Chromosome analysis indicates the cells are heteroploid and show modal numbers of 47 chromosomes. The CaPi cell line is susceptible to fishviruses (VHSV, PFR, SVCV) producing cytopathic effects (CPE). However, IPNV replicates without visible cell alterations.