Lysosomal Membrane Stability Dynamics and Hemocyte Composition in Hemolymph-Affected Carcinus aestuarii from the Çanakkale Strait
Seçil ACAR, A. Suat ATEŞ
Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Marine Biology, Çanakkale, Türkiye
Abstract
Lysosomal membrane stability and hemocyte composition are widely used biomarkers of physiological stress in marine crustaceans. This study investigated lysosomal destabilization dynamics and differential hemocyte distribution in 9 hemolymph-affected and 15 non-affected Carcinus aestuarii individuals exhibiting hemolymph alterations compared to non-affected crabs collected from the Çanakkale Strait. Neutral red retention time (NRRT) assays were conducted over a 30–180 min period, and repeated-measures mixed modeling was applied to assess temporal stability patterns. Healthy hemocyte percentages declined significantly over time (p < 0.001), and a significant time × hemolymph condition interaction (p = 0.045) indicated accelerated destabilization in hemolymph-affected individuals. Complementary stability descriptors showed consistent trends toward reduced membrane integrity in affected crabs. Multivariate analysis of hemocyte proportions revealed significant differences in overall cellular composition (p = 0.029), suggesting immune cell redistribution characterized by relative granulocyte dominance. Total hemocyte abundance did not significantly correlate with stability indices, indicating that cellular balance rather than cell density underlies the observed patterns. These findings demonstrate that hemolymph alterations in C. aestuarii are associated with coordinated changes in lysosomal stability dynamics and immune cell composition, highlighting potential early indicators of physiological disturbance in transitional marine systems.
How to Cite
Seçil ACAR et al. (2026). Lysosomal Membrane Stability Dynamics and Hemocyte Composition in Hemolymph-Affected Carcinus aestuarii from the Çanakkale Strait. MARFRESH – Journal of Marine and Freshwater Sciences, 1(1), 1–-5.