In teleosts, the mucosal epithelial barriers represent the first line of defence against environmental challenges such as pathogens and environmental contaminants. Mucous cells (MCs) are specialised cells providing this protection through mucus production. Therefore, a better understanding of various MC quantification methods is critical to interpret MC responses. Here, we compare histological (also called traditional) quantification of MCs with a novel mucosal mapping method to understand the differences between the two methods' assessment of MC responses to parasitic infections and pollution exposure in shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius). Overall, both methods distinguished between the fish from stations with different levels of pollutants and detected the links between MC responses and parasitic infection. Traditional quantification showed relationship between MC size and body size of the fish whereas mucosal mapping detected a link between MC responses and Pb level in liver. While traditional method gave numerical density, mucosal mapping gave volumetric density of the mucous cells in the mucosa. Both methods differentiated MC population in skin from those in the gills, but only mucosal mapping pointed out the consistent differences between filament and lamellar MC populations within the gills. Given the importance of mucosal barriers in fish, a better understanding of various MC quantification methods and the linkages between MC responses, somatic health and environmental stressors is highly valuable.

在硬骨鱼中，粘膜上皮屏障是抵抗环境挑战（如病原体和环境污染物）的第一道防线。粘液细胞（MCs）是通过粘液产生提供这种保护的专用细胞。因此，更好地理解各种MC量化方法对于解释MC响应至关重要。在这里，我们将MC的组织学（也称为传统）定量与一种新颖的粘膜定位方法进行比较，以了解两种方法对MC对短角形（Myoxocephalus scorpius）的寄生虫感染和污染暴露的评估之间的差异。）。总体而言，这两种方法都区分了污染物含量不同的站点的鱼类，并检测了MC响应与寄生虫感染之间的联系。传统定量显示鱼的MC大小与体型之间的关系，而粘膜定位检测到MC响应与肝脏中Pb水平之间存在联系。传统方法给出了数值密度，而粘膜标测给出了粘膜中粘膜细胞的体积密度。两种方法都将皮肤中的MC种群与腮中的MC种群区分开来，但只有粘膜图谱指出了腮中丝状和层状MC种群之间的一致差异。鉴于鱼类粘膜屏障的重要性，请更好地了解各种MC量化方法以及MC反应之间的联系，