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Structure and function of blood and connective tissue cells of the fresh water pulmonate Lymnaea stagnalis studied by electron microscopy and enzyme histochemistry

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Summary

The morphology and the ultrastructure of the blood and connective tissue cells of Lymnaea stagnalis were studied. Special attention was paid to the role of these cells in the cellular defense mechanism (phagocytosis). This problem was investigated in injection experiments with enzyme histochemistry and electron microscopy.

The blood contains one type of cell, the amoebocyte. The amoebocytes are very active in phagocytosis. They phagocytoze various particulate materials like India ink, trypan blue, colloidal silver, ferritin, bacteria and zymosan granules. Digestion of the phagocytozed biotic material was observed. The cells show a very strong peroxidase activity. The acid phosphatase activity is weak. It increased after phagocytosis. Numerous amoebocytes loaded with phagocytozed inert material were still found three months after injection. It is concluded that migration of phagocytes to the exterior via various epithelia, as found in other molluscs, is of minor importance.

In the connective tissue 8 different cell types were distinguished: 1. pore cells, 2. granular cells, 3. vesicular connective tissue cells, 4. amoebocytes, 5. fibroblasts, 6. undifferentiated cells, 7. pigment cells, 8. muscle cells.

Pore cells are characterized by numerous invaginations of the cell membrane bridged by cytoplasmic tongues. Probably these cells produce haemocyanin. Granular cells contain numerous cysteine rich glycoprotein granules. The contents of these granules are released by exocytosis. It is suggested that these cells are involved in the production of blood proteins. The empty looking vesicular connective tissue cells appeared to contain large amounts of glycogen. Obviously these cells have nutritive functions.

True fixed macrophages were not observed in the connective tissue. Only the amoebocytes phagocytoze in large amounts various materials. Furthermore, the pore cells show a limited phagocytosis capacity.

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  1. Department of Zoology, Free University, Amsterdam-Buitenveldert, The Netherlands

    T. Sminia

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The author is greatly indebted to Dr. H. H. Boer for suggesting the problem and for his valuable criticism during the investigations and the preparation of the manuscript, to Prof. Dr. J. Lever for his stimulating interest during the investigations, to Mr. G. Elisée-Désir for his technical assistance and for preparing the micrographs, to Miss G. Th. Klinge for her participation in the investigations, to Mr. U. Zijlstra for correcting the English text and to Miss P. G. Brink for typing the manuscript.

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Sminia, T. Structure and function of blood and connective tissue cells of the fresh water pulmonate Lymnaea stagnalis studied by electron microscopy and enzyme histochemistry. Z.Zellforsch 130, 497–526 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307004

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