Effect of extraction-method, period of incubation and tidal emersion on the viability of haemocytes from oysters

The impacts of pollution on marine organisms are often investigated using the viability of their haemocytes. Although this assay is routinely used in monitoring, field and laboratory experimentation, there has been less effort in further optimizing procedures to reduce artefacts and facilitate sampling over large geographic areas. the oyster Saccostrea glomerata as a model species, we investigated the effects of different techniques for extracting haemolymph, period of incubation with dye and emersion-time (e.g. tidal-state) on the viability of haemocytes. Collecting haemocytes with a syringe, through a drilled hole in the shell, increased the viability of haemocytes by almost 50%. While emersion-time and incubating haemocytes with the dye for up to 4 h did not affect viability. imple in situ approach provides a less destructive method for extracting haemocytes, allowing their viability to be measured as part of large-scale experiments without jeopardizing the surrounding assemblage of animals and plants.