How Do Lumpfish Protect Themselves Against Viruses?

Abstract

For many people, a delicious salmon dish satisfies their taste buds. Salmon farming is a big industry, providing food for millions of people every day. However, the journey of this delicious meal from the ocean to your plate depends on lumpfish, a cool-looking fish that protects farmed salmon by eating sea lice. Sea lice are small parasites known to attack salmon and can cause disease if not removed. Since lumpfish are vulnerable to diseases, it is crucial to understand more about this organism’s complex immune system, as this will help keep them healthy so they can then do their important “job” of eating sea lice. In this article, we will explain how we study the way the fascinating lumpfish defends itself against diseases.