Drosophila blood cells.

Abstract

Drosophila blood cells or haemocytes belong to three lineages: plasmatocytes, crystal cells and lamellocytes. There is no equivalent of a lymphoid lineage in insects which have no adaptive immunity. Haematopoiesis is under the control of a number of transcription factors and signalling pathways (such as GATA factors, JAK/STAT or Notch pathways) most of which have homologues which participate in the control of mammalian haematopoiesis. Drosophila plasmatocytes are professional phagocytes reminiscent of the cells from the mammalian monocyte/macrophage lineage. Several receptors responsible for recognition of microorganisms or apoptotic corpses have been identified, which include a Scavenger Receptor, a CD36 homologue and a peptidoglycan recognition protein. Crystal cells contain the enzymes necessary for humoral melanization that accompanies a number of immune reactions. The production of melanin generates, as by-products, cytotoxic free radicals that are believed to participate in the killing of pathogens. Finally, lamellocytes represent a cell type that specifically differentiates after parasitism of Drosophila larvae and forms a capsule around the invader. Encapsulation together with melanization eventually kill the parasite within the capsule.

• Authors: Marie Meister, Marie Lagueux
• Journal: Cellular microbiology (Cell Microbiol) Vol. 5 Issue 9 Pg. 573-80 (Sep 2003) ISSN: 1462-5814 [Print] India
• PMID: 12925127 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review)

Chemical References

• Drosophila Proteins

Topics

• Animals
• Drosophila Proteins (metabolism)
• Drosophila melanogaster (cytology, physiology)
• Hematopoiesis (genetics, physiology)
• Hemocytes (physiology, ultrastructure)
• Signal Transduction (physiology)