Phagocytosis and giant cell formation at 0° C by macrophage (MØ) of Notothenia coriiceps

Abstract

Macrophages adhered to round glass coverslips that had been implanted into the abdominal cavity of Notothenia coriiceps , collected from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, and removed and incubated in vitro for 4 h at 0° C at various intervals. The macrophages phagocytosed yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells suspended in saline. Bi‐nuclear macrophages were first observed after 6 h. The formation of giant cells and their phagocytic activity was observed only in fish which had been injected with 1 ml of Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG)‐suspension 24 h before coverslip implantation and the coverslips removed 15 days after the implantation. Phagocytosis and the formation of giant cells in an Antarctic fish at 0° C is described for the first time.

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