Summary
In order to investigate haematopoiesis in the freshwater pulmonate Lymnaea stagnalis, the blood cells and the connective tissue of this snail were studied by light and electron microscopy as well as by autoradiography.
In the circulating blood only one type of cell, the amoebocyte, is present. Amoebocytes also occur in the connective tissue (tissue amoebocytes) as single cells, in small groups or in large accumulations. Study of the morphology and ultrastructure of blood and tissue amoebocytes shows that no differences exist between these cells, indicating that L. stagnalis does not possess a well-defined haematopoietic organ. This assumption is supported by the following observations: 1. both blood and tissue amoebocytes can act as phagocytes, 2. blood and tissue amoebocytes both have the capacity to divide (i.e. incorporate tritiated thymidine) and 3. the percentage of dividing cells in the blood and in the connective tissue is the same. These quantitative data indicate furthermore that there is no difference in the relative importance of the blood and the connective tissue in the process of haematopoiesis.
Comparison of tritiated thymidine labelled cells with unlabelled amoebocytes showed that these cells do not differ with respect to their morphology and ultrastructure. Moreover, amoebocytes involved in phagocytosis and encapsulation of foreign materials or in wound healing still have the capacity to divide.
The percentages of tritiated thymidine labelled amoebocytes in different snails varied considerably. It is suggested that this variation reflects differences in the physiological state of the individual snails.
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The author is greatly indebted to Dr. H. H. Boer for his valuable criticism during the investigations and the preparation of the manuscript, to Prof. Dr. J. Lever for reading the manuscript, to Dr. J. C. Jager for statistical advice, to Dr. N. W. Runham and Dr. N. Spronk for advice on the use of autoradiographical techniques and to Miss Benita Plesch for correcting the English text.
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Sminia, T. Haematopoiesis in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis studied by electron microscopy and autoradiography. Cell Tissue Res. 150, 443–454 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225968
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225968