Abstract

Own and literary data pointing to plasticity of stem cells of marine invertebrates are viewed. Stem and embryonic cell cultures of marine invertebrates are model cell systems with a high level of all physiological and synthetic processes. The production of biological active substances in vitro may become an alternative to the chemical synthesis or marine aquaculture. The factors involved in determination and maintenance of the pluripotency of marine invertebrate stem cells are analyzed. The in vitro technology of directional differentiation of marine invertebrate stem cells in certain functionally active cell species includes the use of different growth factors, various natural and artificial substrates and also the unique biological active substances from marine invertebrate tissues. To increase expression levels of the cell growth regulatory genes and thus achieve enhanced cell growth, one method of attack was reported using the genetically engineered constructions with foreign genes. Our knowledge gained in invertebrate systems can help to determine a general mechanism of eukaryote pluripotency, and cultivated marine invertebrate cells can be used in marine biotechnology.