title: Development of a gut perfusion model as an alternative to the use of live fish.
abstract: An alternative fish model with the principal aim of studying the interaction between fish pathogens and the intestinal tissue was developed. The preparation consisted of an excised gut tractus from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), perfused through cannulation of the aorta intestinalis ventralis with filtered and heparinized Cortland+dextran 1% as the perfusion fluid. This perfusion fluid was delivered by means of a drip. The perfused gut tractus was suspended in a circular bath filled with Ringer solution, which was aerated and kept at a constant temperature of 12 degrees C. Unperfused gut placed in Ringer solution at the same temperature served as the negative control. Perfusion was effective in maintaining the gut in a healthy condition for at least 60 min with only slight oedema and sloughing of the epithelium. Conversely, the unperfused gut revealed excessive tissue degeneration and severe necrosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. amin.nematollahi@UGent.be
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nematollahi
authors.forename: Annemie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decostere
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ducatelle
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pasmans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002404:Catheterization; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D023421:Models, Animal; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods*