MECHANISMS OF REMOVAL OF INJECTED MICROORGANISMS FROM THE AMERICAN OYSTER, CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA (GMELIN) , ,

Abstract

Several species of microorganisms injected into oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were removed by 2 mechanisms. Histological and bacteriological studies showed that vegetative bacteria were phagocytized and rapidly digested intracellularly. Bacterial spores and yeast were phagocytized and slowly removed by amoebocytes migrating through epithelia to the exterior.