Continuous Culture of Bovine Retinal Cells

¹ Biophysical Research Laboratory, Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Virus Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, Pa.

Cells from the retinas of cattle eyes have been growing continuously in tissue culture for more than one year in our laboratory. The culture medium used is defined as modified 199, with 20 percent calf serum. The glass surfaces of Blake bottles, toxin bottles, cover slips, and synthetic membranes provide the substrate for these monolayer cultures. The cell population doubles every 7 to 14 days. The cells can be transferred and divided by trypsinization. Cultures can be maintained in the same vessel for periods of one to three months or longer, with no cell deterioration. Small, medium, and large cells resembling neurons and glia cells are observed. The number of these cells varies with the age of the culture. The morphology, staining properties, and growth rate of these retinal cells are described.