Objetivo The overall aims of the project are to identify the functional role of the cells involved in the internal defence of the developmental stages, from larvae through to adult, of bivalve molluscs, with specific emphasis on the mussel, Mytilus edulis (galloprovincialis). In addition, the mechanisms of defence available to these cell populations will be investigated, in particular the antibacterial molecules present in the haemolymph will be identified and characterized. Specific aims within this overall framework can be identified as follows: to determine a defence role for coelomocytes in larval bivalves; to raise monoclonal antibodies to adult haemocytes; to characterize the coelomocytes using the monoclonal antibodies raised to adult haemocytes; to determine microbicidal activity associated with bivalve haemolymph; to determine the potential for enhancing disease resistance in larval bivalves; and to isolate and purify cytotoxic molecules from the haemolymph of adult bivalves. Research is being carried out in order to identify the functional role of cells involved in the internal defence of the developmental stages, from larvae through to adult, of bivalve molluscs, with specific emphasis in mussels Mytilus edulis (galloprovincialis). A suite of monoclonal antibodies to adult haemocytes has been raised. Immunocytochemical staining of adult and larval tissues has been carried out. Research on microbicidal activity is progressing well.The project will be carried out in the following phases. An initial phase of the project will involve rearing larvae from adult mussels and determining the ultrastructural morphology of the different stages of larval and juvenile development. These studies will be focussed on the coelomocytes, which are believed to be the principal cells involved in the internal defence of the larvae. Having established a panel of monoclonal antibodies to the haemocytes, these will then be screened and characterized in terms of their ability to define subpopulations of adult haemocytes using light and electron microscope immunochemistry. A further phase of work will link the development of the monoclonal antibodies with the ultrastructual morphology of the coelomocytes. Having developed the suite of monoclonal antibodies to different subpopulations of adult haemocytes, these will then be used for characterizing the coelomcytes and any other potential defence cells in the larval and juvenile stages of the mussels using light and electron microscope immunocytochemical techniques. Another component of the research, which will be carried out at the same time, will address the microbicidal activity of the adult haemocytes. The work will involve separation of the haemocytes using isopycnic centrigugation or immunoseparation with specific monoclonal antibodies. The function of the isolated subpopulations of cells will be studied using assays based on the phagocytosis of Vibrio species and will include the release of reactive oxygen metabolites which will be measured using chemiluminescence. Other cellular mechanisms involved in the immune response will also be investigated. Following the work on characterization of the defence capability of the larval through to adult stages of bivalves, the next stage of the research proposal is designed to address the problem of disease susceptibility in these stages. A set of experiments will be carried out exposing the different larval stages to varying concentrations of pathogenic bacteria including either Vibrio species or Aeromonas species. Another approach for studying disease susceptibility which will be investigated will include experiments on rearing larvae from adults which have been exposed to pathogenic bacteria. A final area of the work, which will run concurrently with the bacterial exposure experiments, will involve identification and characterization of antibacterial molecules in the haemolymph of bivalves. Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology Programa(s) FP2-FAR - Community research and coordination programmes (EEC) in the fisheries sector, 1988-1992 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Citadel Hill PL1 2PB Plymouth Reino Unido Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (4) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) Francia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 17390 La Tremblade Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG Alemania Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3 20146 HAMBURG Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos UNIVERSITY OF WALES, SWANSEA Reino Unido Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Singleton Park SWANSEA Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Università degli Studi di Perugia Italia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 06100 Perugia Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos
