title: Lectins stain cells differentially in the coral, Montipora capitata.
abstract: A limitation in our understanding of coral disease pathology and cellular pathogenesis is a lack of reagents to characterize coral cells. We evaluated the utility of plant lectins to stain tissues of a dominant coral, Montipora capitata, from Hawaii. Of 22 lectins evaluated, nine of these stained structures in the upper or basal body wall of corals. Specific structures revealed by lectins that were not considered distinct or evident on routine hematoxylin and eosin sections of coral tissues included apical and basal granules in gastrodermis and epidermis, cnidoglandular tract and actinopharynx cell surface membranes, capsules of mature holotrichous isorhizas, and perivitelline and periseminal cells. Plant lectins could prove useful to further our understanding of coral physiology, anatomy, cell biology, and disease pathogenesis.
authors: U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Honolulu Field Station, PO Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850, USA. Electronic address: Thierry_work@usgs.gov.
authors: Thierry M
authors: TM
authors: Work
authors: University of Illinois, School of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
authors: Yael
authors: Y
authors: Farah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037121:Plant Lectins
keywords: Coral; Histopathology; Lectins; Montipora capitata