Yakovleva N.V., M.P. Samoilovich & A.M. Gorbushin 2001 The diversity of defence strategies against pathogens in Mollusca.  Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, 37 (4), 270-277 [in Russian]

The comparative analysis of original and literature data concerning particularities of mechanisms of defense against pathogens in bivalves and gastropod molluscs was carried on. The agglutinating and opsonizing activities of plasma from molluscs belonging to the phylogenetically distant species were revealed to differ significantly. These differences may be described bearing in mind the possibility of existence of two contrast strategies within molluscs: “low-promiscious” – is more typical for the most part of gastropod species, the characteristic features are the limited spectrum of test particles agglutinated in plasma and strongly opsonin dependent phagocytosis; “high-promiscuos” which predominate in bivalves – agglutinins derived from plasma of these molluscs are able to agglutinate a large number of indicator cells, the rate of phagocytosis does not depend on presence of plasma proteins in the medium. The diversity of defence strategies against pathogens can explain the difference in fauna of parasites infecting the corresponding groups of molluscs.