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Assessment of immune parameters of manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in different physiological conditions using flow cytometry

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Abstract

Cellular and humoral immune parameters are often used as biomarkers to trace environmental and physiological stresses in marine bivalves. In this study, we compared various immune parameters of Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) under normal conditions and under a high level of desiccation, using flow cytometry. The immune parameters analyzed included, total hemocyte count, hemocyte mortality, hemocyte DNA damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and phagocytosis activity. Total hemocyte count, hemocyte DNA damage, and hemocyte mortality were significantly elevated among clams under high desiccation stress, while phagocytosis activity and spontaneous ROS production were significantly lower compared to those parameters of the control clams (p<0.05). These data suggest that the immune parameters analyzed in this study well reflect the physiological status of clams.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Kunsan National University, Gunsan, 573-701, Korea

    Kyung-Il Park

  2. Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, 33965, USA

    Ludovic Donaghy

  3. School of Marine Biomedical Science (POST BK21) and Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690-756, Korea

    Hyun-Sil Kang, Hyun-Ki Hong & Kwang-Sik Choi

  4. Southern Coastal Environment Research Department, South Sea Institute, KORDI, Geoje, 656-830, Korea

    Young-Ok Kim

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  1. Kyung-Il Park
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  2. Ludovic Donaghy
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  4. Hyun-Ki Hong
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Correspondence to Kwang-Sik Choi.

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Park, KI., Donaghy, L., Kang, HS. et al. Assessment of immune parameters of manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in different physiological conditions using flow cytometry. Ocean Sci. J. 47, 19–26 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-012-0002-x

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