engleski

Usefulness of cryosections in parasites and endobionts observing of mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Northern Adriatic

Histology provides a large amount of information not only of the general health of a marine organism but also the detection of a wide range of symbionts, parasites and pathogens. Traditionally, the diagnosis of diseases has primarily been achieved using histological methods in paraffin embedded tissues. However, this procedure requires a time to prepare the samples. The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of observing parasites and endobionts of Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 in cryosections of digestive glands. Mussels were sampled in the Rovinj coastal area, the Northern Adriatic, Croatia across annual cycle. Dissected mussel tissues were fixed with cooled n-hexane, embedded in O.C.T.TM compound and cut with a cryostat. Sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The protozoan of the genus Nematopsis Schneider, 1892 (Apicomplexa, Gregarina) was detected in digestive tubules, while the turbellarian (Urastomidae) Urastoma cyprinae von Graff, 1913 was found in the connective tissue at the edge of the digestive gland. The filamentous fungus Alternaria sp. (Fungi, Ascomycota) was detected in epithelial cells of the digestive tubule in cryosections. Although up to now cryosections were used in ecotoxicological studies of monitoring pollutant exposures, it provides a useful and affordable means for monitoring parasites and endobiotic fungi.

cryosections, parasites, fungi, mussel

nije evidentirano