Release of chromatin extracellular traps by phagocytes of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (Linnaeus, 1758).

Neutrophils release chromatin extracellular traps (ETs) as part of the fish innate immune response to counter the threats posed by microbial pathogens. However, relatively little attention has been paid to this phenomenon in many commercially farmed species, despite the importance of understanding host-pathogen interactions and the potential to influence ET release to reduce disease outbreaks. The aim of this present study was to investigate the release of ETs by Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.

Chromatin extracellular trap release in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792).

Neutrophils release nuclear chromatin decorated with antimicrobial proteins into the extracellular milieu as an innate immune defence mechanism to counter invading microbes. These chromatin structures, called extracellular traps (ETs) and released by a process called NETosis, have been detected in mammals, certain invertebrates and some fish species, including fathead minnow, zebrafish, common carp, turbot, sole and barramundi. However, there have been no previous studies of ETs in the Salmonidae.