Altho I have had plenty of course work in human immunology, my research has been in
different kinds of animals. My MS research was on humoral immunity in birds
(aspergillus). My MS advisor was doing research on the immunology of fish at that
time. I started my PhD in the dept of veterinary medicine in Minnesota St. Paul
campus in avian immunology, but found the course work wasnt rigorous enough, the
research limited and the facilities out of date. So I switched over to the med micro
department. I did a rotation in human immunology (MHC) but did my PhD on viral
immunology in mice (macrophage). My post-doc was working on a mouse model system for
multiple sclerosis (T cell immunity).

If doesnt have the heavy chain of IgA it isnt IgA.

When it states that antibodies are secreted into the slime coat, that they have found
other anti-microbial antibodies, when they talk about immunity to ich, of course that
is what they are saying they have found. Parasites are basically ECTOparasites, not
internal where serum antibodies come into play. Ich is on the outside of the fish.
How much clearer can it be "Fish mucus has been found to contain natural antibodies,
lysozyme, and bacteriolysins".

here is the link to fish and shellfish immunology.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entre...__jrid20849%5D
Esteve-Gassent MD, Nielsen ME, Amaro C.
The kinetics of antibody production in mucus and serum of European eel (Anguilla
anguilla L.) after vaccination against Vibrio vulnificus: development of a new method
for antibody quantification in skin mucus. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2003
Jul;15(1):51-61.

Zilberg D, Klesius PH.
Quantification of immunoglobulin in the serum and mucus of channel catfish at
different ages and following infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri. Vet Immunol
Immunopathol. 1997 Sep;58(2):171-80.
" Mucus Ig concentrations were highest immediately caudal to gill covers and between
pectoral to anal fins, at concentrations of 0.45 +/- 0.82 and 0.34 +/- 0.67 ng cm-2,
respectively. The concentration of mucus Ig between anal and caudal fins and on the
ventral skin between gill covers and pectoral fin was 0.18 +/- 0.42 and 0.09 +/- 0.14
ng cm-2, respectively. "

Ingrid

"Gregory Young" wrote:
If you think believe it's IgM, and I IgA, that we won't apparently settle
here today. I think however you should agree that there are no studies, to
date, that confirm (not suggest.. there have been previous studies
suggesting yeah as well as nea) there is any protective role of
immunoglobulins in the fish slime coat.
My training you are quite right was dealing with human physiology and
immunology (plus the marine bio. I just referenced). I am quite sure your
immunology was human based also, and not fish.


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