Metabolic depot for nucleated erythrocyte degradation: molecular and structural elucidation of the teleost melanomacrophage center
6 affiliations
- 1Hainan Institute of Northwest A&F University, Sanya, Hainan 572024, China
- 2College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- 3Chengdu Lilai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, China
- 4Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan 641100, China
- 5Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biotechnology and Modern Ecological Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi 530007, China
- 6Department of Genomics, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø 8049, Norway
Abstract
The function of melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) has long been controversial. While their foundational function is widely accepted as “metabolic dumps” for waste processing, a widely circulated hypothesis posits that they are primitive germinal centers (GCs) executing adaptive immunity. To elucidate this controversy, this study systematically evaluated the splenic MMCs in a higher teleost (Micropterus salmoides) by combining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution spatial transcriptomics. Structurally, TEM revealed that the MMC comprises a core with characteristic sparse cellular density, filled with cellular debris and encapsulated by a fibrous layer. Molecularly, under physiological conditions, MMC regions exhibited low transcriptional activity. We did not detect clear enrichment of B cell and T cell lineage genes, and the key GC marker aicda was not observed. Conversely, its predominant molecular signature was characterized by macrophage-driven iron metabolism (e.g., ferritin) and erythrocyte degradation (e.g., hba1). Furthermore, the physicochemical properties of MMCs pigments (e.g., argyrophilia) suggest that traditional histological staining methods warrant cautious interpretation regarding potential non-specific signals. In conclusion, our findings characterize the MMC as a highly specialized metabolic processing and sequestration niche. This study provides new perspectives on the evolution of immune-metabolic homeostasis in poikilothermic vertebrates, advances comparative immunology, and offers a critical scientific reference for the accurate interpretation of MMCs as a biological indicator in pathology and ecotoxicology.
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BibTeX
@article{zhou2026metabolic,
title = {{Metabolic depot for nucleated erythrocyte degradation: molecular and structural elucidation of the teleost melanomacrophage center}},
author = {Zheng-Yang Zhou and Jin-Lai Gu and Jie He and Jun Wang and Zhen-Dong Zhong and Quan-Xin Xiong and Min Qi and Sheng Lian and Zheng-Ran Jian and Yuan-Chang Gao and Lin-Feng Kuang and Chen-Wang Lu and Shang-Jie Bai and Ming-Zhu Liu and Peng-Fei Li and Qing Yu and Gao-Xue Wang and Fei Ling and Jorge Galindo-Villegas and Tao Liu},
journal = {Zoological Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.570},
url = {https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.570},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Metabolic depot for nucleated erythrocyte degradation: molecular and structural elucidation of the teleost melanomacrophage center
AU - Zheng-Yang Zhou
AU - Jin-Lai Gu
AU - Jie He
AU - Jun Wang
AU - Zhen-Dong Zhong
AU - Quan-Xin Xiong
AU - Min Qi
AU - Sheng Lian
AU - Zheng-Ran Jian
AU - Yuan-Chang Gao
AU - Lin-Feng Kuang
AU - Chen-Wang Lu
AU - Shang-Jie Bai
AU - Ming-Zhu Liu
AU - Peng-Fei Li
AU - Qing Yu
AU - Gao-Xue Wang
AU - Fei Ling
AU - Jorge Galindo-Villegas
AU - Tao Liu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/18
JO - Zoological Research
DO - 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.570
UR - https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.570
AB - The function of melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) has long been controversial. While their foundational function is widely accepted as “metabolic dumps” for waste processing, a widely circulated hypothesis posits that they are primitive germinal centers (GCs) executing adaptive immunity. To elucidate this controversy, this study systematically evaluated the splenic MMCs in a higher teleost (Micropterus salmoides) by combining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution spatial transcriptomics. Structurally, TEM revealed that the MMC comprises a core with characteristic sparse cellular density, filled with cellular debris and encapsulated by a fibrous layer. Molecularly, under physiological conditions, MMC regions exhibited low transcriptional activity. We did not detect clear enrichment of B cell and T cell lineage genes, and the key GC marker aicda was not observed. Conversely, its predominant molecular signature was characterized by macrophage-driven iron metabolism (e.g., ferritin) and erythrocyte degradation (e.g., hba1). Furthermore, the physicochemical properties of MMCs pigments (e.g., argyrophilia) suggest that traditional histological staining methods warrant cautious interpretation regarding potential non-specific signals. In conclusion, our findings characterize the MMC as a highly specialized metabolic processing and sequestration niche. This study provides new perspectives on the evolution of immune-metabolic homeostasis in poikilothermic vertebrates, advances comparative immunology, and offers a critical scientific reference for the accurate interpretation of MMCs as a biological indicator in pathology and ecotoxicology.
SN - 2095-8137
ER -