Abstract

CULTURING OF EPIDERMAL CELLS BY MANIPULATING THE MECHANISM OF REGENERATION IN SPONGES AND EXTRACTION OF ANTIBIOTICS FROM MARINE SPONGES OF BAY OF BENGAL

Srinivasan Balakrishnan*

ABSTRACT

Among all metazoan phyla, sponges are known to produce the largest number of bioactive compounds, some of them are rich in human therapeutic value. Therefore, an increasing interest in basic cell biology research up to biochemical engineering can be observed, aiming at the production of bioactive compounds from sponges, under completely controlled conditions. Sponges are Sessile, soft- bodied marine invertebrates which lack obvious physical defenses and biosynthesize bioactive, non-primary or secondary metabolites to protect themselves and maintain homeostasis (Atta way and Zaborsky, 1993). Sponges have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti- helminthic, anticoagulant, antitumor, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, anti inflammatory, antimalarial, and antiplatelet, antiprotozoal, antileukemic, anti tuberculosis, and immunomodulatory activities (Butler, 2004).

Keywords: .