Metabolic depression and spleen and liver enlargement in juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus exposed to chronic parasite infection |
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Authors: | E SeppÄnen † H Kuukka ‡§ A Voutilainen H Huuskonen N Peuhkuri § |
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Institution: | Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (FGFRI), Laasalantie 9, FI-58175 Enonkoski, Finland; , Integrative Ecology Unit, Department of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, P. O. Box 65, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; , FGFRI, Sapokankatu 2, FI-48100 Kotka, Finland; and Ecological Research Institute, Faculty of Biosciences, University of Joensuu, P. O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, and Finland |
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Abstract: | The present study on the connection between standard metabolic rate ( R S) and chronic Diplostomum spp. infection resulted in a decrease in R S, and an enlargement in spleen and liver sizes in the infected juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus compared to control fish. As splenic enlargement observed in infected fish was not due to condition-related changes in the spleen, it could most probably be explained by increased leucocyte synthesis. The higher liver masses in infected S. alpinus may have been related to disorders in energetic function, which could have had major effects on biochemical regulation by the liver. The proposed metabolic syndrome with a possible reduction in insulin sensitivity in tissues results in ineffective glucose and lipid metabolism and thus it is suggested that chronic Diplostomum infection in S. alpinus might not impose direct energetic costs, but it may weaken the efficiency of energy metabolism and thus lead to lowered R S. |
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Keywords: | Diplostomum spp liver Salvelinus alpinus spleen standard metabolic rate |
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