Peripheral blood mononuclear cell viability in response to in vitro thermal stress in the Malabari goats of Kerala

Abstract

Climate change poses a serious risk to livestock production in tropical regions. Among climate-induced stressors, heat stress is one of the most important factors affecting small ruminant production. Heat stress leads to cell death and reduces the number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The present study was conducted to investigate the response of PBMCs to heat stress in Malabari goats of Kerala. PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood and cultured, then exposed in vitro to 42 °C for four hours, and their viability was assessed. The results showed a significant decrease in total PBMC count, viable PBMC count, and percentage viability under heat exposure. These findings demonstrated that PBMCs provide a simple and reliable in vitro model for assessing cellular responses to heat stress in indigenous goats.