Hemocytes of mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata (Gastropoda, Pulmonata)

Abstract

We studied hemocytes of Biomphalaria glabrata with the use of light and transmission microscopy and flow cytometry with LysoTracker and SYTO62. These specific fluorescent dyes make it possible to distinguish cells differing in the amount of lysosomes and in transcriptional activity. We found that hemocytes of B. glabrata were represented by hyalinocytes and granulocytes (35.34 (27.38; 36.10) and 65.13 (64.11; 73.05) % respectively). Granulocytes were generally strongly granulated and more metabolically active than hyalinocytes. This is the first report confirming the presence of these two main cell types in the hemolymph of B. glabrata with the use of specific fluorescent dyes.

Keywords

• Biomphalaria glabrata
• hyalinocytes
• granulocytes
• flow cytometry
• LysoTracker
• Syto62