Tilapia Muscle Cells: A Leap for Lab-Grown Fish Meat

Scientists have created a new type of muscle cell from a special kind of tilapia. They named it ONM, short for Oreochromis niloticus muscle. These cells were grown using a technique called explant. The cells did well in a special growth environment. They thrived in an L-15 medium with 5% fetal bovine serum at 28°C. To keep them growing, scientists added a small amount of a growth factor called bFGF. The cells were tested at different temperatures and serum levels to see how they grow. The cells had a 19% plating efficiency. This means that 19 out of 100 cells stuck to the surface and started growing. The cells doubled in number every 36 hours. This is the time it takes for the cells to grow into twice as many. Scientists also tested if they could introduce new genes into these cells. They used a vector DNA to do this. After 24 hours, they saw a green fluorescent signal. This showed that the new genes were working. The efficiency of this process was 6%.To make sure the cells were from tilapia, scientists checked their mitochondrial genes. These genes are unique to each species. The cells were also studied to see which proteins they make. This is called proteome characterization. The study found that some proteins, like P10 and P20, play important roles. P10 helps with cell growth and muscle contraction. P20 is involved in many important processes. These include insulin signaling, cytoskeleton regulation, and the citrate cycle. The cells were also found to grow well in lower serum conditions. This is good news for lab-grown meat. It means the cells can be grown more cheaply and efficiently. The new cell line could be used for many things. It could help in studying fish biology and disease. It could also be used to make lab-grown fish meat. This could be a big step for the future of food.