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A comparative morphological and enzyme histochemical study on blood cells of the freshwater snails Lymnaea stagnalis, Biomphalaria glabrata, and Bulinus truncatus
Author(s) -
Sminia Taede,
Barendsen Lucie
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051650104
Subject(s) - lymnaea stagnalis , biology , biomphalaria glabrata , acid phosphatase , ultrastructure , snail , freshwater snail , phagocytosis , gastropoda , population , freshwater mollusc , bulinus , esterase , enzyme , lymnaea , zoology , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , biochemistry , anatomy , schistosoma mansoni , helminths , schistosoma haematobium , demography , sociology , schistosomiasis
The morphology and ultrastructure of the blood cells of the freshwater snails Lymnaea stagnalis, Biomphalaria glabrata , and Bulinus truncatus were studied. By performing in vitro experiments and enzyme histochemical studies, special attention was paid to the role of the blood cells in phagocytosis of foreign particles. No fundamental differences were found in the ultrastructure, lysosomal enzyme contents, and phagocytic capacities of the blood cells of these species. It is concluded that only one type of blood cell, the amoebocyte, exists in the freshwater snails. Amoebocytes constitute a morphologically and functionally heterogeneous population of cells, ranging from round (electron‐dense) cells with the morphological characteristics of young cells to highly phagocytic spreading cells with a prominent lysosomal system. In addition to acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase and peroxidase were found within the lysosomes. The presence of enzyme activity in the RER and the Golgi bodies indicates that amoebocytes are able to synthesize lysosomal enzymes continuously.