Transplantation reactions of two species of Osteichthyes (Teleostei) from South Pacific coral reefs.

Abstract

SUMMARY Early cutaneous allograft rejection was found to be characteristic of wild specimens of Chromis caeruleus and Dascyllus aruanus, two common species of advanced bony fishes of the order Perciformes from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Development and persistence of substantial immunological memory was indicated by the invariably accelerated rejection of second-set allografts made some 3 weeks after first-set grafting. Bv contrast, control autografts healed promptly and remained fully viable under the normal environmental conditions maintained, including a temperature of 25-27 C. Strong histocompatibility barriers are now known to be characteristic of diverse orders of advanced Osteiehthyes in contrast with the weaker, altough no less discriminating alloimmune reactions of more primitive fishes. This highly developed capacity for transplantation immunity in teleost fishes holds regardless of the geographical origin or natural habitat of the many species tested thus far. The evolutionary success of the class Osteichthyes and especially the Teleostei as the predominant group of aquatic vertebrates may be at least partly attributable to prompt and vigorous immunoresponsiveness