The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a protocol for producing a primary cell line for this species that can be used for viral assays and other disease research to identify pathogen risks to Pacific lamprey and other lamprey species of conservation concern. To date, cell lines from lamprey tissues have not been developed.

Documentation of lamprey pathogens and disease incidence worldwide has lagged behind that of teleosts (Shavalier et al. In Press). Moreover, fish health screening protocols rely on teleost cell lines which may be inappropriate for lampreys (Jackson et al. 2019). The overall goal of our project is to develop a Pacific lamprey cell line with the intended application of isolating and studying the viruses associated with these fish. We recognize that cell line development is a complicated endeavor, so our objectives in the first year of this work are to: 1) identify lamprey life stages and tissue types most likely to produce a viable cell line, and 2) experiment with different media and preparation methods that are most likely to yield a primary cell line for Pacific lamprey. The CTUIR artificial propagation program for Pacific lamprey provides a unique opportunity to obtain candidate cells from embryonic stages and completely differentiated larval tissue. By collaborating with an expert in development of fish cell lines, we will at least start the process of cell line development, and hopefully succeed in identifying a protocol that reliably yields lamprey cells. Such work is needed to better understand disease threats to Pacific lamprey, and potentially other lamprey species as well.