In this issue

Antibacterial Potential of Gracilaria edulis Extracts Against Pathogenic Bacteria: Input to Organic Aquaculture
Identification of Plankton in the Stomach of Milkfish (Chanos chanos) Seeds Obtained from Natural Waters
First Record of Hermaphroditism in Green Mussels (Perna viridis) in the Philippines
The Post-Harvest Handling Practices of Glass Eel in Aparri, Cagayan: Operations, Challenges and Recommendations
Dietary Vitamin C and Lipid Feed Supplementations Influence the Expression of Immune-Related Genes in Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone 1931) Subjected to Thermal Stress
Gender Participation in the Capture and Marketing Sectors of the Glass Eel Fisheries in Aparri, Cagayan, Philippines
Status of Nematopalaemon tenuipes, Spider Prawn (Family: Palaemonidae) Stocks Caught in Aparri, Cagayan: A case of Gentleman’s Agreement Management Strategy
Environmental Change and Trends in Brackishwater Pond Milkfish Chanos chanos Production in the Philippines Over Six Decades: Insights to Possible Resiliency
Coral Reef Habitat and Associated Reef Fishes in the Kalayaan Island Group, West Philippine Sea
Catches and the Production of the Sea Cucumber Fishery of Mindanao, Philippines
Ichthyofauna of the Rasian and Asahan Rivers in the South Coast of Aceh Province, Indonesia
Determinants of Food Insecurity among Municipal Fishing Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic under Alert Level 1 in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines
Cell Viability and Coelomocyte Characterization of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci L.) Collected from Southern Leyte, Philippines
Farming Systems of Eucheumatoid Seaweeds in Western Visayas, Philippines
Climate and Non-climate Related Hazards in Small Pelagic Fisheries and Milkfish Aquaculture: Expert Opinion Survey in the Philippines
Identification and Allometric Scaling of Megamouth Shark (Megachasma pelagios) Mother-Offspring Specimens from Dipaculao, Aurora, Luzon Island, Philippines
The Catch and Trade of Seahorses in the Philippines Post-CITES (2019)

Journal Issue Volume 32 Issue 1 Cell Viability and Coelomocyte Characterization of Crown-of-Thorns...

Research Article

Cell Viability and Coelomocyte Characterization of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci L.) Collected from Southern Leyte, Philippines

, Arvin C. Balala2, Jerome Jack O. Napala2, Ryan P. Tomol2, Jovie Marie P. Alfante2, Gladys Ludevese-Pascual2

1 Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, 6521, Philippines
2 Bioresource Production Technology Center (BioProTeC), Southern Leyte State University-Bontoc, San Ramon, Bontoc, Southern Leyte, 6604, Philippines

Page 149-159 | Received : September 13, 2024, Accepted : February 28, 2025

Abstract

The current work is the first effort to quantify cell viability and profiling of cell morphotypes found in the coelomic fluid of the Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS) (Acanthaster planci L.), collected in the territorial waters of Southern Leyte, Philippines. For the cell viability, based on the trypan blue exclusion test on the varying time interval for counting, at fresh preparation (0 minutes), the counted live cells are 137 (mean: 34.25 ± 6.45) with coelomocyte viability of 6.8 ± 10.26 x 105 cells ml; as the time increases, the viable cells from the prepared fractions decrease. This study reveals that the coelomic fluid of COTS contains diverse coelomocyte morphotypes, including spherule, vibratile, fusiform, crystal, progenitor, and phagocyte cells, all of which have distinct cellular sizes and morphologies. These cell types are also present during physiological changes in COTS. These findings offer valuable insights into the physiology and cellular component of COTS, potentially serving as a foundation in developing control strategies, including the discovery of novel and effective compounds to prevent or eradicate outbreaks. Based on the results of this study, the authors point to the need for in-depth systematic profiling and characterization of the COTS coelomocytes using more advanced microscopical techniques (i.e., fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy); percentage determination of each coelomocyte per ml of coelomic fractions depending on the COTS maturity, sex, and status – healthy, stressed, injured, or during spawning seasons; cell viability per coelomocyte type, the impact of seasonal variation to the coelomocytes; and comparison of the coelomocytes of other endemic Asteroid echinoderms.


Keywords: Acanthaster planci, cell viability, coelomocytes, Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, morphotypes