Abstract
In order to elucidate the immune responses of Arctic charr in relation to temperature, groups were acclimated to a moderate (9°C) and a cold temperature regime (4°C), as well as subjected to a temperature decrease (from 9 to 4°C) immediately prior to an immunization with sheep red blood cells. The charr kept at 9°C responded with increased primary and secondary antibody titres, as seen by direct haemagglutination, while fish at 4°C, as well as the fish subjected to a temperature reduction, displayed lower and lowest antibody titres, respectively, and only after a second immunization. It is concluded that Arctic charr can respond to a cellular antigen with a humoral immune response typical for other teleosts, but that the immune response is delayed and diminished at low temperatures. This temperature-induced immune suppression is intensified if the fish have not been acclimated to cold water prior to immunization.
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Accepted: 10 October 1999
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Einarsdóttir, I., Nilssen, K., Øren, S. et al. Temperature influence on Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) antibody response to a cellular antigen. Polar Biol 23, 231–235 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050439
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050439