Abstract:
During this project, immune function analyses for manatees under a variety of wild, captive, and rehabilitating conditions were evaluated using lymphocyte proliferation assays. The assay measures the extent to which lymphocytes, isolated from fresh whole blood and placed in culture, are able to grow and divide (proliferate) when exposed to chemical stimulators (mitogens). Activities included obtaining blood samples from 71 different manatees. Lymphocytes were isolated from these samples and provided information on immune function. Results are described.
