Increased phagocytic activity in contaminated seastars (Asterias rubens) collected in the Southern Bight of the North Sea
Coteur, G.; Danis, B.; Wantier, P.; Pernet, P.; Dubois, P. (2005). Increased phagocytic activity in contaminated seastars (Asterias rubens) collected in the Southern Bight of the North Sea. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 50(11): 1295-1302. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2005.04.038 In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more |  |
| Keywords | Asterias rubens Linnaeus, 1758 [WoRMS]; Echinodermata [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal | | Author keywords | immunity; echinoderms; Asterias rubens; contamination; North Sea; heavy |
| Abstract | In invertebrates, the phagocytosis exerted by immune Cells Constitutes the main line of internal defence against offending microorganisms. This Study assessed during two consecutive years the phagocytic activity in seastars (Asterias rubens) collected in stations along the Belgian and Dutch coasts. The contamination of these seastars by metals and PCBs were measured in parallel. Increased phagocytic activities were found in seastars collected in the plume of the Scheldt river. This correlated with the contamination of seastars by metals, mainly Pb, but not with the contamination by the analysed PCB congeners. Furthermore, the relationship between phagocytosis and metal contamination was reproducible from one year to another. The possible mechanisms explaining this effect are discussed in light of a direct or indirect link between phagocytic activity and metal contamination of seastars. |
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