• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2006

Present study aims to investigate the effect of muddy water on various tissues and plasma proteins of Hemiculter eigenmanni in Imha reservoir. The gills in muddy water were shown to have clubbing in secondary lamellae and edema in primary lamellae, respectively. The size of glomerula in kidney was smaller than that of control. Scanning electron micrographs of gills revealed muddy debris and parasites attached between primary and secondary lamellae, suggesting that muddy water possibly involves to decrease in respiratory rate. By using SDS-PAGE, plasma protein bands displayed both quantitative and qualitative changes and ferritin activities were shown more stronger and Fe-3 ferritin band appeared to be specific to plasma of muddy water.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1976

Larval morphogenesis and infection rates of Cercaria pectinata Huet were investigated in regards to histological changes and mortality of the hard clam, Meretrix lusoria $(R\ddot{o}ding)$, in Buan located on the Western Coast of Korea. The trichocerous cercariae, Cercaria pectinata, and its sporocysts parasitize mainly in the tissues of goand, digestive gland and gills of the hard clams. One branched sporocyst grows into a great number of cylindrical sporocysts, and a heavily infected clam possesses 2,000 to 5,000 cylindrical spo ro cysts. Each of them produces approximately 30 to 70 germinal cells and cercariae. Of 2,639 clams examined 347 individuals $(13.2\%)$ were found to be infected. The infection rates showed seasonal variations, the rate being highest $(29.6\%)$ in July, and lowest $(2.0\%)$ in March. Whereas, the infection rates did not change significantly with the changes of size class of the shell. No infection was observed in Meretrix petachialis (Lamarck) collected from Myeong-ji, Kimhae Gun located near Busan. In the iefected clams, the gametogenesis (oogenesis and apermatogenesis) did not undergo completely, therefore the heavily infected clam seemed to be castrated. Also the tissues of the digestive gland and gills were compressed by the multiplication of the parasites. When they were kept in aquariums in the laboratory, high mortality has occurred in the infected clams. All of the 60 infected clams died within 35 days.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2013

Cathepsins are lysosomal/cysteine proteases belong to papain family (C1 family) that is involved in intracellular protein degradation, antigen processing, hormone maturation, and immune responses. In this study, member of cathepsin family was identified from Manila clam (Mc-Cathepsin D) and investigated the immune response against brown ring disease (BRD) causing Vibrio tapetis challenge. The identified Mc-Cathepsin D gene encodes characteristic features typical for the cathepsin family including eukaryotic and viral aspartyl protease signature domain and two highly conserved active sites ($^{84}VVFDTGSSNLWV^{95}$ and $^{270}IADTGTSLLAG^{281}$). Moreover, MC-Cathepsin D shows higher identity values (-50-70%) and conserved amino acids with known cathepsin D members. Transcriptional results (by quantitative real-time RT-PCR) showed that Mc-Cathepsin D was expressed at higher levels in gills and hemocytes than mantle, adductor muscle, foot, and siphon. After the V. tapetis challenge under laboratory conditions, Mc-Cathepsin D mRNA was up-regulated in gills and hemocytes. Present study indicates that Mc-Cathepsin D is constitutively expressed in different tissues and potentially inducible when infecting BRD by V. tapetis. It is further suggesting that Mc-Cathepsin D may be involved in multiple role including immune response reactions against BRD.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2005

We report on the diagnosis, pathology, and taxonomy of Perkinsus sp. infection in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) from Korean waters. Amplimers were designed from internal portions of the non-transcribed spacer (NTS) of P. atlanticus for molecular diagnosis of Perkinsus infection. PCR-based identification methods and an in situ hybridization assay were developed for detection of Perkinsus sp. in live tissues as well as in histological preparations. Hybridization signals were observed around the nucleus of trophozoites. Positive results from PCR and in situ hybridization indicated that Korean Perkinsus sp. is genetically identical with P. atlanticus reported in Europe, which is currently synonymous with P. olseni reported from Australia. Microscopic morphological features of different lift stages of Perkinsus sp. appeared very similar to those of P. atlanticus. Severely infected clams often exhibited white nodules on their mantles and gills as a consequence of inflammation. In lightly to moderately infected clams, Perkinsus sp. was mainly found in gill tissues, whereas the protozoan parasites were found in digestive tracts, gonadal tissues, and foot tissues of heavily infected clams. It is likely that the gills are the portal of the infection and that P. olseni spreads to other tissues as the infection advances. In conclusion, by considering the taxonomic priority of P. olseni, Korean Perkinsus sp. is accepted as P. olseni. P. olseni appears to be common on tidal flats on the western and southern Korean coasts and is considered to be a pathogen capable of causing mass mortality of clams.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2008

The effects of noise stress response on hematological parameters (hemoglobin, hematocrit and MCHC) and plasma parameters (cortisol, glucose and albumin) in Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli), a very important commercial marine fish in Korea, were investigated. These parameters were analyzed on fish exposed to an explosion of noise. There were no significant differences or trends in hematological parameters (hematocrit; control $29.7{\pm}4.8%$, experiment 32.0 35.5%; hemoglobin; control $6.5{\pm}0.7g/dL$, experiment 6.2 7.8 g/dL; MCHC; control $19.6{\pm}0.6g/dL$, experiment 19.9~22.2 g/dL). However, plasma cortisol and glucose exhibited significant differences from start to finish and displayed the following patterns (cortisol; control $180.7{\pm}35.4ng/mL$, experiment 247.0 444.5 ng/mL; glucose; control $32.5{\pm}6.3mg/dL$, experiment 50.5 109.0 mg/dL). In addition, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA expression and basal levels of various tissues (eye, gills, liver, intestine, skin and gonads) were investigated for the first time in this marine fish. When the Korean rockfish was exposed to explosive noise stress, the GR mRNA was expressed more in the gonads than in other tissues tested and was elevated significantly from two and four times in the liver and gills, respectively, after noise exposure.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.391-399
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• 2012

We cloned cDNA-encoding arginine vasotocin (AVT) from the brain of the cinnamon clownfish Amphiprion melanopus, and that was predicted to encode a protein of 153 amino acids. We examined changes in the expression of AVT mRNA in the brain and arginine vasotocin receptor (AVTR) mRNA and osmotic stress transcription factor 1 (OSTF1) mRNA in the gills of the cinnamon clownfish using quantitative real-time PCR in an osmotically changing environment (seawater (35 psu) ${\rightarrow}$ brackish water (BW, 17.5 psu) and BW with prolactin [PRL]). The expression of AVT, AVTR, and OSTF1 mRNA in the brain and gills increased after transfer to BW, and the expression was repressed by PRL treatment. AVT-immunoreactive cells were almost consistently observed in the telencephalon. The plasma $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ levels decreased in BW, but the level of this parameter increased in BW with PRL treatme during salinity change. These results suggest that AVT, AVTR, and OSTF1 play important roles in hormonal regulation in osmoregulation organs, and that PRL improves the hyperosmoregulatory ability of cinnamon clownfish in BW environment.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2006

Diseased tiger puffer (Takijugu rubripes) showed anorexia and severe anemia in the gills. In wet mount preparations Heterobothrium sp. with 4 sets of clamps on the opisthohaptor attached to the gill filaments of the diseased fish. From the drum-shaped filter for filtration of the culturing water and the sediment of aquarium held the diseased fish in the laboratory, their eggs forming long strings through connection of the bipolar filaments could be easily collected. The parasites with 4 pairs of clamps on the opisthohaptor were 2.38mm in length and 0.71 mm in width, but had no isthmus which was separated the opisthohapor from the body proper. The parasites could be easily distinguished from Heterobothrium tetrodonis and H. okamotoi in the absence of distinct isthmus, and resembled H. yamagutii described from the gills of Takifugu xanthopterus in Japan. Their eggs were yellowish spindle in shape and 180-200 x 5-6 Iffil in size, which were pointed at both ends. The eggs were linked to adjacent egg shells like a string of beads by the filaments. Onchomiracidia, ciliated larvae spawned from the eggs were 133 Iffil (120-146 Iffil) x 751ffil (68-80 Iffil) in size. The length of the ciliates was 12 Iffil in the anterior part of the larvae and 14 Iffil in the posterior part. Round or leaf-shaped young parasites attached on the secondary gill lamellae. There was a tendency that most of round smaller parasites without an opisthohaptor were found in the middle part of the gill lamellae while leaf-shaped larger ones with a opisthohaptor attached on the distal part of the gill filaments. Each clamp of mature parasites grasped one secondary gill filament which resulted in bending of the filaments and hyperplasia of the epithelium and mucous cells. In the branchial cavity around the pseudobranch, mature parasites grasped the adjacent ones by means of the clamps, and the epithelia of the branchial cavity around the parasites showed severe irregular hyperplasia and erosion with strongly PAS-positive mucous cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.304-308
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• 2005

The effects of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) on various oxidative stress responses in liver, kidney and gill tissues of freshwater bagrid catfish Pseudobagrus fulvidraco were investigated under laboratory conditions. Bagrid catfish were intraperitoneally injected with sunflower seed oil containing nominal concentrations of 0, 300 or 900mg DEHP per kilogram of body weight for 3 days and the effects after last injection were assessed in liver, kidney and gill tissues of the exposed organisms. The oxidative stress responses of fish were evaluated by analyzing the level of glutathione (GSH), as well as the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR). After exposure to the DEHP, there were significant decrease in GR, GPx activity and GSH content in liver of fish exposed to 900 mg DEHP per kilogram of body weight compared to the control group. Compared with the control group, significant decreases in renal GPx and GR activity were observed in the DEHP treatment groups (900 mg $kg^{-1}$ bw). However, no significant difference was observed in any oxidative stress responses in gills between the DEHP-treated and the untreated group of fish. The findings of the present investigation show that DEHP induce oxidative stress and the liver was the most affected organ followed by the kidney and gills. Furthermore, the changes of GPx and GR activities may be important indicators of oxidative stress responses but additional study is required to confirm the oxidative stress of DEHP.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2014

The effects of waterborne arsenic (As) exposure on antioxidant defense were studied in liver and gills of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus under thermal stress. Tilapia were exposed to different As concentrations (0, 200 and $400{\mu}g/L$) at three water-temperatures (WT; 20, 25 and $30^{\circ}C$) for 10 days. In antioxidant response, glutathione (GSH) levels, glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-treansferase (GST) activities were significantly decreased depend on WT in the gills after As exposure. Also, the range of fluctuation in these enzymes activities was most significantly increased at $30^{\circ}C$ in the liver of tilapia exposed to As. The present findings suggest that a simultaneous stress by temperature change and As exposure could accelerate the alteration in antioxidant enzymes activities of tilapia.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.337-345
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• 2015

To investigate the causes of emaciation in cultured olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea. We performed histological examinations and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a new primer set. In most cases, the most severe emaciation was observed in the abdominal area Using PCR on extracted livers, kidneys, spleens, gills, brains, and intestines, we found that areas around the kidneys and intestines were as almost always positive. In significantly emaciated fish, PCR was positive in all internal organs except the gills. In addition, the homology of 812-bp nucleotide sequences of the 28S rRNA gene was more than 99% in emaciated fish. Partial homology with Myxobolus spp. and Cystodiscus axonis, whose data were obtained from GenBank was 86% and 88%, respectively. Histological examinations detected spores in kidneys and intestines but not in other organs. We also performed cohabitation experiments to determine whether infections could be exchanged among species or only within species. Uninfected olive flounder and red sea bream, Pagrus major, cohabitating with emaciated olive flounder showed 100% and 0% cumulative mortality, respectively. Thus the cause of emaciation in cultured olive flounder of Korea is likely due to a new parasite.