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Studies of Splenic Macrophage Aggregates
in Silver Porgy From the
St. Lucie Estuary

Macrophages are phagocytic immune cells in fish (and other vertebrates) that are called into action under chronic stress conditions. Stress can include exposure to contaminants or biological agents such as bacteria. Macrophages can also be associated with other conditions, depending on the fish species and the environmental conditions.

In many fish species, accumulation of clumps of macrophage cells, known as macrophage aggregates, can serve as a biological indicator of exposure or stress. The present study is examing macrophage aggregates silver porgy, a common species in the St. Lucie known to be suceptable to a variety of stressors and stress outcomes.

These web pages highlight the methods and data derived from Silver porgy from the St. Lucie, and examine several endpointsL macrophage aggregate sizes, numbers and areas from the spleens of male and female silver porgy collected from two locations. These data will be used to evaluate the potential utility of quantitative macrophage aggregate analysis in silver porgy in future studies.

Florida satellite image
Map of Florida peninsula; white box
bounds the St. Lucie Estuary System

Link here to see methods
Link here to view data

 

 

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