Swim bladders are special organs filled with air that help regulate the buoyancy of some bony fish, like teleosts. Check out this YouTube video which explains how the swim bladder works:

Because the inner surface of this organ is lined with mucosa, researchers suspected it may contain immune cells and microbes – similar to the inner lining of mammalian lungs.

In a study published in Cell Discovery, researchers confirmed the presence of specialized mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in this lining that respond to viruses. Similarly, MALT in the lining of mammalian lungs helps neutralize inhaled viruses. In this way MALT tissue in fish and mammalian lungs help prevent infections.

Source:

Y Yu, Z Huang, W Kong, F Dong, X Zhang, X Zhai, G Cheng, M Zhan, J Cao, L Ding, G Han, F Takizawa, Y Ding, JO Sunyer, Z Xu. Teleost swim bladder, an ancient air-filled organ that elicits mucosal immune responses. Cell Discovery. 8: 31, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-022-00393-3

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Categories: Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Livestock, Nature's Solutions, Ocean Life

Tags: Air bladder, bouyancy, fish maw, immune, lungs, scuba, swim bladder, teleost