Characterization of macrophages from the bony fish gilthead seabream using an antibody against the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor

Two major professional phagocyte populations have been described in fish, namely granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages. Although the distribution and localization of macrophages have been documented in several teleost species using mainly light and/or electron microscopy, the lack of appropriate markers for these cells has hampered our in-depth knowledge of their biology. We report here the generation of a monospecific rabbit polyclonal antibody against the gilthead seabream macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (Mcsfr), which is an excellent marker of macrophages in mammals and the zebrafish. The anti-Mcsfr has been found to be very useful in immunohistochemistry (IHC) to specifically immunostain the purified macrophages (adherent cells) obtained from the head-kidney as well as different cell populations in paraffin-embedded organs, including the head-kidney, spleen, thymus, gills and liver. Unexpectedly, however, no Mcsfr immunoreactive (Mcsfr(+)) cells were observed in the brain and intestine of the gilthead seabream. We also show that the distribution of Mcsfr(+) cells in the head-kidney and the spleen is unaltered following infection with the fish pathogenic bacterium Vibrio anguillarum and that the Il1b-producing cells in these two organs after infection are exclusively acidophilic granulocytes. Finally, as the epitope recognized by the anti-Mcsfr is well conserved, we illustrate the potential usefulness of this antibody in other teleost species, such as the European seabass.