Peritoneal inflammatory cells in plaice, <i>Pleuronectes platessa</i> L.: effects of stress and endotoxin

Abstract

When plaice were injected intraperitoneally with either oyster glycogen or live Vibrio alginolyticus an acute cellular inflammatory response was observed. The duration of these responses, 7 and 15 days respectively, exceeded the time course of the mammalian cellular inflammatory reaction. Peak leucocyte numbers were found at 2–3 days and neutrophils, which were phagocytic, were more numerous than macrophages. Although the increase in macrophage numbers was less marked, these cells appeared more actively phagocytic than neutrophils. Cortisol injections and environmentally‐induced stress caused a significant reduction in the extent of inflammatory cell infiltrates, while endotoxin significantly enhanced the response.