Cell culture of marine seaweeds also known as microalgae, is a technique used to propagate and study these organisms under controlled laboratory conditions. While cell culture is more commonly associated with animal or microbial cells , certain techniques have been developed to cultivate and maintain seaweed cells invitro . The primary goal of seaweed cell culture is to established cell lines or cultures that can be used for various purposes such as studying their physiology, biochemistry, genetics and potential applications in biotechnology or aquaculture.

1. SEMINAR ON CULTURE
TECHIQUES OF MARINE
MACROALGAE
PRESENTE BY-
AKSHAY MANDAL
2nd Semester , M. Sc Marine biotechnology
ANDHRA UNIVERSITY
Registration no- 722211224002

2. INTRODUCTION
• Cell culture of marine seaweeds also known as microalgae, is a technique used to
propagate and study these organisms under controlled laboratory conditions.
• While cell culture is more commonly associated with animal or microbial cells , certain
techniques have been developed to cultivate and maintain seaweed cells invitro .
• The primary goal of seaweed cell culture is to established cell lines or cultures that can
be used for various purposes such as studying their physiology, biochemistry, genetics
and potential applications in biotechnology or aquaculture.
• From the next page I try to discuss about basic steps involved in seaweed cell culture-

3. SOURCE OF SEAWED
• Start by collecting a suitable seaweed specimen from its natural
habitat
• Ensuring it represents the desired species and possesses the
desired characteristics.
• Take care to follow ethical and legal considerations such as
obtaining necessary permits for collection.

4. STERILIZATION
• Once collected the seaweed sample needs to be thoroughly
rinsed with sterile seawater to remove any contaminants .
• It is then surface sterilized using a suitable disinfectant (eg-
sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide ) to eliminate
bacteria, fungi and epiphytes.

5. ISOLATION
• To establish a macro-algae cell culture, individual cells
or small tissue fragments are isolated from a healthy and
actively growing organisms.
• This can be done by carefully removing a small portion of
tissue from the thallus(body) of the seaweed.
• Various methods can be used, such as manual chopping,
enzymatic digestion, or mechanical disruption, depending
on the seaweed species and its cell wall composition.

6. CELL CULTURE MEDIA
• Macro algal require a specific growth medium to support their growth
invitro.
• The composition of the medium varies depending on the species and
the specific requirements of the algal.
• Generally , macro-algal cell culture media contain a mixture of
inorganic salts , vitamins and organic compounds such as sugars or
amino acids.

7. INOCULATION AND CULTURE INITIATION
• Transfer the isolated seaweed cells or tissue fragments into
sterile culture vessels containing the prepared culture medium.
• The vessels can be flasks , petri dishes, or specialized bio-
reactors , depending on the scale and requirements of the
experiments.

8. GROWTH CONDITIONS
• Macro-algal culture require specific environmental conditions to grow
successfully.
• These conditions include temperature , light and nutrient
availability.
• Typically , macro-algal cultures are maintained at a controlled
temperature , usually between 15-25C with a light cycle of 12 hours
of light and 12 hours of darkness.
• The intensity and spectrum of light should mimic nature conditions
for optimal growth .

9. AERATION AND AGITATION
• Providing adequate aeration and agitation to the macro-algae cultures is
important for gas exchange and nutrient distribution .
• This can be achieved by using air pumps or stirrers to create a gentle
movement in the culture medium.

10. SUBCULTURING
• As the macro-algal cells grow , they need to be periodically sub-
cultured to maintain their viability and prevent overgrowth.
• Subculturing involves transferring a portion of the growing culture into
a fresh culture medium.

11. CONTAMINATION CONTROL
• Contamination is a common challenge in macro-algae cell cultures.
• Regular monitoring and appropriate sterile techniques should be
employed to prevent the growth of unwanted organisms , such as
bacteria or fungi in the cultures.

12. CRYOPRESERVATION
• Cryopreservation techniques can be employed to preserve seaweed cell
lines for long term storage.
• By freezing the cell at ultra-low temperatures (-196C) using
cryoprotective agents, the cultures can be stored for extended periods
and later revived when needed.
• Cryopreservation is crucial for maintaining genetic diversity and
avoiding the loss of valuable seaweed strains.

13. THANK YOU