Gregory:
Your immunology class in med school talked about human immunology. We are not
talking about human immunology, we are talking fish. They dont have IgA, IgG, IgE.
If you dont want to believe me (despite the fact that I am an immunologist), then
read Stoskopf (pp. 150-159) or the primary literature. In different fish there are
monomeric, tetrameric and pentameric forms of IgM like antibody and it is serum
antibody AND it is secreted. It is IgM by virtue of its mu heavy chain, not because
it is cell bound.
"Despite the absence of IgG in fish, protective humoral responses occur. In general,
IgM is more efficient than IgG in complement activation, opsonization, neutralization
of viruses, and aggutination. (Tizard, 1987) ... In teleosts, antigen-specific
antibodies occur in the mucus as IgM (St. Louis-Cormier et al. 1984; Lobb, 1987)" "
Fish mucus has been found to contain natural antibodies, lysozyme, and
bacteriolysins".
Now, recent literature are renaming some of the antibodies, "i" and D. "Antibodies
found in
secretory fluids are macroglobulins and it is suspected that they may derive from
serum exudation. " http://contra.biology.und.ac.za/comp/chapter5g.htm
http://www.vet.uga.edu/mmb/dickerson/research.html
"Model of antibody mediated cutaneous immunity against Ichthyophthirius.
Theronts (shown at top) bore through mucus and invade the epithelium of immune fish.
Antibodies in the skin and/or mucus bind to the surface immobilization antigens on
the parasite, causing either immobilization and cell death (at high antibody
concentrations), or exit from the host (at antibody concentrations that are
subthreshold for immobilization). The source of antibodies present at the surface of
the fish is conjectural. They may rise locally from lymphocytes within the skin, or
be produced elsewhere and enter the epithelium through some, as yet, unidentified
pathway."
Ingrid

"Gregory Young" wrote:
Ingrid:
You are mixing up serum and secretory antibodies
In the serum are found numerous antibodies, IgM (acute), IgG (convalescent),
etc, etc
In the secretory coat ('slimelayer") are PRIMARILY IgA
There are no studies that I have seen that show the role of secretory
antibodies in living cold water ornamental fish.. none. They have been in
vitro tests, which have generated many hypotheses, which have not been
confirmed to date, hence the continuing discussions on this topic.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.