Phagocytic Activities of Haemocytes Separated by Two Simple Methods from Larvae of Two Lepidopteran Species, Agrotis segetum and Galleria mellonella

Abstract

Differential cell fractionation (D.F.) and nylon wool column (N.W.) methods, both utilizing different calcium ion requirements among immunocytes for adhesion to non-self, were adopted to prepare immunocyte monolayers from Agrotis segetum and Galleria mellonella larvae. Monolayers prepared by the D.F. method were occupied predominantly by granulocytes, and those prepared by both D.F. and N.W. methods showed high purities of plasmatocytes (PL) and granular plasmatocytes (GPL). Granulocytes separated by the D.F. method in vitro showed high phagocytic activities against Indian ink particles and FITC-labeled silica beads, while PL and GPL prepared by both methods actively engulfed only FITC-labeled silica beads, similarly to granulocytes, but they could not phagocytose the Indian ink particles. Essentially similar results were obtained with monolayers from the two Lepidopteraninsects. © 1995, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.