Bovine fetal tissue extracts as an alternative to fetal serum for in vitro reproduction of viruses

Abstract

The authors assessed the possibility of substitution of the serum component with tissue extracts (muscles, liver, kidneys) of bovine fetuses in the culture medium during the cultivation of transplanted LEK and Vero cell lines, as well as the reproduction of infectious rhinotracheitis IR, PI-3 viruses and reovirus on them. The greatest stimulating effect on LEK and Vero cells was obtained from bovine fetuses muscle extract. The effect of this extract on the proliferative activity of LEK and Vero cells is significant and amounts to 27 and 25%, respectively. The power of the effect of liver and kidney extracts is significantly lower and equal, respectively, 15 and 18% for LEK and 14 and 19% for Vero, although it is reliable. The reproductive activity of IR and PI-3 viruses when using tissue extracts was inferior to that when using blood serum. The stimulating effect of blood serum and muscle extract on the reproduction of reovirus was comparable. The effect of fetal muscle extract on the reproduction of IR, PI-3 viruses and reovirus is reliable and amounts to 29, 31 and 33%, respectively. In general, it is close to that of the blood serum of bovine fetuses - 30, 35 and 36%. The power of the influence of the liver and kidney extracts of the bovine fetuses is significantly lower and comparable to that of the blood serum of the cows themselves: 25, 23 and 20%, although it is reliable.