Immune responses in molluscs and their implications for disease control

Novoa and A. Figueras, Instituto de Investigadones Marinas (IIM), CSIC, Spain 

Key words shellfish pathology, haemocytes, immune genes, selection programmes, pathogens. 

Although several biologically active molecules have been reported in the haemolymph of bivalve molluscs, a comprehensive view of their immune mechanisms is lacking and few genes involved in immunity have been identified. The shell and mucus are the primary defence barriers. They cover the 

Although many of the components and molecules that are involved in the bivalve immune response were identified long ago, the recent use of molecular techniques, such as cDNA libraries and high-throughput sequencing, has allowed researchers to confirm the presence of molecules that were identified indirectly by their biological activity. Here, we describe the main components of the immune system 

2 Mussel haemocytes infiltrating the tissue surrounding the digestive gland. 

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Immune responses in molluscs and their implications for disease control... 

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