Abstract
This study examined the erythrocyte height/length, hematocrit, total blood hemoglobin concentration and mean cellular hemoglobin content of diploid and triploid transgenic and non-transgenic Atlantic salmon, to clarify the interaction between metabolic rate and hematology in these fish. Triploid erythrocytes were significantly longer and proportionately thinner than diploid erythrocytes for both genotypes. These morphological differences gave triploid erythrocytes an elliptical appearance with the width being ∼53% of the length, whereas diploid erythrocytes tended to be more rounded with the width being ∼62% of the length. As well, diploid and triploid transgenic erythrocytes were significantly shorter and thinner (P<0.0001) than their non-transgenic counterparts. Although not significant, observations using a Channelized Coulter Counter showed that transgenic erythrocytes tended to be higher in count and smaller in volume than non-transgenic erythrocytes of the same ploidy. Transgenics likely produce erythrocytes with higher surface area to volume ratio in response to their elevated metabolic rates. No other major hematological differences were observed between transgenics and non-transgenics of the same ploidy.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
REFERENCES
Abrahams, M.V. and Sutterlin, A.M. 1999. The foraging and antipredator behaviour of growth-enhanced transgenic Atlantic salmon. Anim. Behav. 58: 1–10.
Bartley, D.M. and Hallerman, E.M. 1995. A global perspective on the utilization of genetically modified organisms in aquaculture and fisheries. Aquaculture 137: 1–7.
Benfey, T.J. 1999. The physiology and behavior of triploid fishes. Rev. Fish. Sci. 7: 36–67.
Benfey, T.J. 2001. Use of sterile triploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) for aquaculture in New Brunswick. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 58: 525–529.
Benfey, T.J. and Sutterlin, A.M. 1984 a. The haematology of triploid landlocked Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. J. Fish Biol. 24: 333–338.
Benfey, T.J. and Sutterlin, A.M. 1984 b. Triploidy induced by heat shock and hydrostatic pressure in landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Aquaculture 36: 359–367
Clark, S., Whitmore, Jr., D.H. and McMahon, R.F. 1979. Considerations of blood parameters of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. J. Fish Biol. 14: 147–158.
Cook, J.T, McNiven, M.A. and Sutterlin, A.M. 2000. Metabolic rate of pre-smolt growth-enhanced transgenic Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Aquaculture 188: 33–45.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Aquaculture and Oceans Science Branch. 1998. Draft: Policy on research with, and rearing of, transgenic aquatic organisms. March 1–48.
Du, S.J., Gong, Z., Fletcher, G.L., Shears, M.A., King, M.J., Idler, D.R. and Hew, C.L. 1992. Growth enhancement in transgenic Atlantic salmon by the use of an ‘all-fish’ chimeric growth hormone gene construct. Biotechnology 10: 176–181.
Glomski, C.A., Tamburlin, J. and Chainani, M. 1992. The phylogenetic odyssey of the erythrocyte. II. Fish, the lower vertebrate experience. Histol. Histopathol. 7: 501–528.
Graham, M.S., Fletcher, G.L. and Benfey, T.J. 1985. Effect of triploidy on blood oxygen content of Atlantic salmon. Aquaculture 50: 133–139.
Hallerman, E.M. and Kapuscinski, A.R. 1995. Incorporating risk assessment and risk management into public policies on genetically modified finfish and shellfish. Aquaculture 137: 9–17.
Hazon, N., Balment, R.J. 1997. In: The Physiology of Fishes. Second Edition. pp. 441–463. Edited by D.H. Evans. CRC Press, Boca-Raton, Florida, USA.
Houston, A.H. 1997. Review: Are the classical hematological variables acceptable indicators of fish health? Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 126: 879–894.
Houston, A.H., Dobric, N. and Kahurananga, R. 1996. The nature of hematological response in fish. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 15: 339–347.
Jobling, M. 1994. Fish Bioenergetics. Chapman and Hall, London, UK.
Johnstone, R. and Stet, R.J.M. 1995. The production of gynogenetic Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Theo. Appl. Genet, 90: 819–826.
Lay, P.A. and Baldwin, J. 1999. What determines the size of teleost erythrocytes? Correlations with oxygen transport and nuclear volume. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 20: 31–35.
Monnickendam, M.A. and Balls, M. 1973. The relationship between cell sizes, respiration rates and survival of amphibian tissues in long-term organ cultures. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 44A: 871–880.
Nikinmaa, M. 1992. Membrane transport and control of hemoglobin-oxygen affinity in nucleated erythrocytes. Physiol. Rev. 72: 301–321.
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization. 1996. Resolution on transgenic Salmon. CNL(96)55.
Oliva-Teles, A. and Kaushik, S.J. 1987. Metabolic utilization of diets by polyploid rainbow trout. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 88A: 45–47.
Parsons, G.R. 1993. Comparisons of triploid and diploid white crappies. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 122: 237–243.
Saunders, R.L. 1991. Potential interaction between cultured and wild Atlantic salmon. Aquaculture 98: 51–60.
Sezaki, K., Watabe, S., Tsukamoto, K. and Hashimoto, K. 1991. Effects of increase in ploidy status on respiratory function of ginbuna, Carassius auratus langsdorfi (Cyprinidae). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 99A: 123–127.
Stevens, E.D. and Sutterlin, A.M. 1999. Gill morphometry in growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon. Environ. Biol. Fishes 54: 405–411.
Stevens, E.D., Sutterlin, A.M., and Cook, J.T. 1998. Respiratory metabolism and swimming performance in growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55: 2028–2035.
Stevens, E.D., Wagner, G.N. and Sutterlin, A.M. 1999. Gut morphology in growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon. J. Fish Biol. 55: 517–526.
Stillwell, E.J. and Benfey, T.J. 1996. Hemoglobin level, metabolic rate, opercular abduction rate and swimming efficiency in female triploid brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 15: 377–383.
Utter, F., Hindar, K. and Ryman, N. 1993. Genetic effects of aquaculture on natural salmonid populations. In: Salmon Aquaculture. pp. 144–165. Edited by K. Heen, R.L. Monahan and F. Utter. Fishing News Books, Oxford, UK.
Whoriskey, F. 1999. Playing with Fire. Atl. Salmon J. Spring: 12–48.
Yamamoto, A. and Iida, T. 1994. Oxygen consumption and hypoxic tolerance of triploid rainbow trout. Fish Pathol. 29: 245–251.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cogswell, A., Benfey, T. & Sutterlin, A. The hematology of diploid and triploid transgenic Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 24, 271–277 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015020716456
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015020716456
- biotechnology
- blood
- erythrocyte volume
- fish
- metabolism
- oxygen transport
- ploidy