LABORATORY CULTURE OF HERMISSENDA

这项研究项目的主要目标是开发方法 这将可靠地使裸目软体动物Hermissenda 粗角兽在实验室培养中饲养和维护 将其建立为标准化海洋实验室的目的 动物。这些动物将在基因和营养上 以及没有疾病和病原体的定义。他们将会是 由精确建立的处理方法和测试方法生产 根据旨在衡量和预测他们的表现和 用于研究用途的可靠性。这将确保和支持使用 赫尔米森达作为研究神经学的研究资源 行为和学习的关联性及其潜在用途 一种研究生物成矿作用的新模型系统(即启动 钙化)。 具体方法包括(1)调节成年人的饮食，以产生高 受精率和营养丰富的卵子，进而促进 正常、同步发展的比例高；(2) 优化幼虫培养条件，包括营养、控制 兼性病原体和疾病，以及高比例的 变态诱导；(3)建立变态诱导的形态标准 界定和分期正常的幼体和幼体发育；以及 (4)开始建立实验室饲养的特定遗传品系 用于特定研究目的的动物。

The major objective of this research project is to develop methods which will reliably enable the nudibranch mollusc, Hermissenda crassicornis to be reared and maintained in laboratory culture for the purpose of establishing it as a standardized marine laboratory animal. These animals will be genetically and nutritionally defined as well as disease and pathogen free. They will be produced by precisely established methods of handling and tested by criteria designed to measure and predict their performance and reliability for research use. This will insure and support the use of Hermissenda as a research resource for investigating neural correlates of behavior and learning as well as its potential use as a new model system for studying biomineralization (i.e., initiation of calcification). Specific methods include (1) regulating adult diets to produce high fecundity rates and nutritionally rich ova which, in turn, promote high percentages of normal, synchronous development; (2) optimizing larval culture conditions to include nutrition, control of facultative pathogens and disease, and high percentages of metamorphic induction; (3) establishing morphologic criteria for defining and staging normal larval and juvenile development; and (4) begin establishing specific genetic strains of laboratory-reared animals for specific research purposes.