Red blood cells have the essential task of transporting oxygen to our body and keep us alive. Human red blood cells are small "ghost cells" without a nucleus, and with a limited ability to change. In contrast, more primitive animals like fish, birds and reptiles have larger, nucleated red blood cells that can obtain additional functions in response to the health state, possibly at the cost of their natural function.
Salmon and trout (salmonids) are important fish species and production animals, and ensuring good health for salmonids is crucial to be able to sustain the aquacultural industry. Unfortunately, optimal tools for health monitoring in salmonids are still missing and the biological understanding is still incomplete. The combination of viral infections and stressful handling are associated with mortality in salmonid aquaculture, and these challenges are also shown to affect the function of salmonid red blood cells.
The RED FLAG Project aims to provide and share information on how salmonid red blood cells sense “danger” like stress and infection, and on how these danger signals affects gas exchange and fish survival. The research in RED FLAG reaches from in vivo trials, through cell experiments ex vivo, to cell signaling and gene expression monitoring. Based on the integration of signals and responses in red blood cells, a small blood sample will be tested as source of information on the state of health in salmon and Trout.
Partners
- UiT Arctic University of Norway
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
- University of British Columbia-Canada
- Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche-Spain
