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Discriminative ability and function of the immunobiological recognition system of the snailHelix pomatia

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Summary

The internal defense mechanism ofHelix pomatia discriminates between different types of foreign cells as demonstrated by determinations of their clearance rates. The rate of elimination is not dependent on the size of foreign cells but on their molecular surface properties. Circulating hemocytes are not involved in the first phase of the clearance event, which is characterized by an accumulation of nonself cells in the digestive gland, kidney and foot muscle ofHelix. Light microscopic studies of these organs reveal nonself cells to be attached to the membrane of cells lining hemolymph sinuses. The attachment of certain types of foreign cells is apparently mediated by opsonins as their clearance depends on the opsonin level of the hemolymph, whereas others are cleared without involvement of opsonizing molecules. Membrane bound molecules of the latter type of nonself cells seem to directly interact with carbohydrate-specific combining sites on the membranes of cells of the sinus walls, as their binding can be inhibited by N-acetyl-galactosamine, and N-acetyl-glucosamine.

The second phase of clearance apparently involves the attraction of circulating hemocytes by organtrapped foreign cells. The number of hemocytes in circulation decreases significantly, whereafter a rising percentage of hemocytes containing foreign cells can be observed in the circulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut und Zoologisches Museum der Universität, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-2000, Hamburg 13, Germany

    Lothar Renwrantz, Wolfgang Schäncke, Heike Harm, Helga Erl, Heinrich Liebsch & Jens Gercken

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  1. Lothar Renwrantz
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  2. Wolfgang Schäncke
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Renwrantz, L., Schäncke, W., Harm, H. et al. Discriminative ability and function of the immunobiological recognition system of the snailHelix pomatia . J Comp Physiol B 141, 477–488 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01101470

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