A colorimetric assay for the quantification of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) lymphocyte mitogenesis

A colorimetric assay using the dye MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) was developed to quantify the proliferative responses of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) peripheral blood and kidney lymphocytes. Mitogenic responses were assayed using the mitogens LPS, PHA, ConA and formalin-killedAeromonas salmonicida. Optimal mitogenesis occurred only in the presence of homologous plasma. The assay proved to be a simple and reproducible alternative to the traditional3H-thymidine incorporation assay.