Hematological evaluation of the immune cells in seabream and Mullet in two related Bizerte region sites Fatma HERMI*, Ridha BEN YOUNES, Ridha OUESLATI. Immunology Unit, Environmental Microbiology and Carcinogenesis (IMEC); University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia. *
[email protected]
The immune system is the first field which reflects the health status of an individual; it disposes several cellular and humoral effectors that mediate potential activity to protect the organism from external and internal attack. Teleost fish are investigated as great animal model to explore immune functionality in lower vertebrate. This study aimed at comparing the main cellular parameters between two teleost fish species, gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and mullet (Mugil cephalus), collected from two polluted sites of the region of Bizerte. The circulating blood cells were fixed in blood smears then differentially counted and their morphology was compared by microphotography using May-Grünwald Giemsa staining methods in eight fish from each species. The obtained results show that counted erythrocytes were approximately equal in the two species around 92% of total cells. Total leukocytes were higher in the mullet 136.75 ± 4 cells / 1,000 blood cells than in gilthead seabream 81.71 ± 3 leukocytes / 1000 blood cells. Differential count shows that mature lymphocytes are predominant in peripheral circulation of the mullet (65%) and seabream (52%). Furthermore monocytes (24%) are the main phagocytes in mullet while, in the seabream the granulocytes (25%) are the most effective innate immune cells. Thrombocytes were more in mullet (2,69% against 0, 71%). General morphology of leucocytes was similar in the two fishes but the cytoplasm of granulocytes show different staining which could be related to the difference of granularity and cell function in mullet and seabream respectively. Our data support the idea of diversity inside the group of teleost fish even the immune response which make of this group an important animal model to understand immune function.
Material and Methods Sampling : Eight gilthead seabream + eight mullet from Tinja Sluys and Bizerta channel Colle t the lood with the anti oagulant ” EDTA ” from each fish . Preparation of blood smears
Results
Figure 1: Total cells count in gilthead seabream and mullet. The data represent the mean ± SEM (n = 8).
Figure 2: Differential percentage of immune cells in Sparus aurata and Mugil cephalus. The data represent the mean ± SEM (n = 8). *
Number of leukocytes / 1000 Blood Cell
Abstract
Species
Figure 3 : Changes in the number of total leukocytes in two species of teleost fish. Each value represents the average number of leukocytes per 1000 blood cells in each group of fish accompanied by the mean of the standard error (SEM). The difference between the two groups was significant, P
