title: Variability of the hemocyte parameters of cultivated mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk 1819) in Sabaudia (Latina, Italy) coastal lagoon.
abstract: The Sabaudia's lake consists of a protected coastal lagoon, located in the central Italy, historically characterized by recurrent mortality events of marine fauna during warmer months. A field study was monthly conducted on mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis cultivated inside the lagoon, measuring hemocyte parameters as total circulating count (THC), viability (HV), spreading and oxidative response to in vitro phagocytosis stimulation. A depression of the immune response was observed during the spring season, as indicated by higher values of hemocyte circularity and lower luminescence levels related to respiratory burst, also associated to modulation of THC and HV. The water temperature and the oxygen concentration appeared as the major environmental factors having influence on the phagocytosis activity. Therefore, the hemocyte variations have been intended as early danger signal to evaluate the immunodepression induced by the environmental stressors which could reveal in advance the development of critical situations for mussel survival.
authors.affiliation: Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Piazza A. Moro 45, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lanni
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cargini
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Narcisi
authors.forename: Ilen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Pietro G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Tiscar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods; D002470:Cell Survival; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D007558:Italy; D049878:Mytilus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012621:Seasons; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Hemocyte; Immunity; Multiple stresses; Mussel watch; Phagocytosis; Wetland