Ml. Cross, ANTIBODY-BINDING FOLLOWING EXPOSURE OF LIVE ICHTHYOPHTHIRIUS-MULTIFILIIS (CILIOPHORA) TO SERUM FROM IMMUNE CARP CYPRINUS-CARPIO, Diseases of aquatic organisms, 17(2), 1993, pp. 159-164
Trophont stages of the ciliate fish parasite Ichthyophthirius multifil
iis were incubated alive in vitro in serum from immune carp Cyprinus c
arpio and subsequently examined immunohistologically for bound antibod
y. Parasites became immobilized in immune serum and were enveloped by
gelatinous mucus-like material. Carp antibody could not be detected bo
und to cilia membranes (the major surface antigens), although it was d
etected at low levels in parasite food vacuoles and associated with th
e gelatinous material. This material is probably responsible for the i
mmobilization of parasites, and may form a barrier that prevents acces
s of large amounts of cilia-membrane-specific antibody to the parasite
surface during in vitro incubation in fish serum.