Environmental limits for survival of sarcoma cells from the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Survival of sarcoma cells from the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria was studied in vltro. Hemolymph was withdrawn from clams with advanced stages of sarcoma and placed in seawater in 'Farley chambers'. Sarcoma cells were exposed for 6 h to different salinitles, temperatures, pH, and copper concentrations. Cell viability was determined using a new trypan blue-safranin staln on permanent monolayer slides. Counts of live and dead cells were made to determine percent mortality. The lethal low salinity was 0.5%; TLso (tolerance limit, 50% mortality) was 1.7'!:.,; and the lethal high salinity was > 35 :'rA