Humoral immune parameters in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) - I. The effects of environmental temperature

The effects of environmental temperature on certain humoral immune paramete rs in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) were studied. Serum samples were colle cted from captive cod, of wild origin, kept at different temperatures for 1 2 months. It was found that immunoglobulin and natural antibody levels incr eased with increasing temperature whereas the total serum protein concentra tion, anti-protease activity, iron concentration, unsaturated and total iro n binding capacity decreased with increasing temperature. Haemolytic activi ty and percentage iron saturation also tended to decrease with increasing t emperature although this was not statistically significant. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science Inc. All rights reserved.