2018 Volume 59 Issue 2 Pages 75-82
In the present paper, we focus on epidermal fish keratocytes derived from scales of a medaka (Oryzias latipes var.) as an observation object for living cell behavior in lower secondary science classes. Our experiments revealed that scales had to be collected from a medaka within 1 hour after death to obtain living keratocytes. When the collected scales were cultured between coverslips at a temperature of 16°C or 26°C for 2.5 hours, cell sheets were extended on the surface of the coverslip from the scales and isolated keratocytes were located around the cell sheets, suggesting that the keratocytes had separated from the cell sheets. We also captured the time-lapse images of cell sheets and isolated keratocytes using a phase contrast microscope. The time-lapse observation demonstrated the following two kinds of cell behavior: (i) single keratocytes migrated almost linearly with fast speed (～16 μm/min) maintaining their overall fan shape; and (ii) keratocytes located in the periphery of a cell sheet periodically extended and retracted lamellipodia toward the outside of the cell sheet. To summarize, these results suggest that keratocytes derived from medaka scales are available for real-time observation of living cell behavior in lower secondary science classes. Further studies are needed to verify the educational efficacy of “hands-on” observing cell behavior.
