Cholinergic Activity in Mononuclear Cells of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fish

Presence of cholinergic components that can play an important role in the cellular homeostasis has been reported to be found in the immune system cells of mammals. The group of such components has been denominated non-neuronal cholinergic system. Nevertheless, up to this moment there are no reports of cholinergic components in lower vertebrates such as fishes, hence the objective of this study was to determine the presence and activity of cholinergic components in mononuclear cells in spleen of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus).The obtained results indicate that Acetylcholine (ACh) and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were found in mononuclear cells of fish. Such molecules can have an implication in important immunomodulation mechanisms. This type of studies can generate relevant information in order to understand neuroimmune communication in evolutionary terms.