Katrina Bang

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Gilchrist, Sandra

Keywords

Coelomocytes, Phagocytes, Inflamation

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Phagocytosis is a first line of host defense in vertebrate and invertebrate immunity. A report that body wall from the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris contained an inhibitor of L. terrestris phagocyte migration, prompted the question of whether tissues from the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus similarly affected the migration, and consequently, the ability of L. variegatus phagocytes to eliminate foreign invaders. Phagocytotic coelomocytes from L. variegatus were studied in vitro using light microscopy to gain an understanding of the cells' normal functions and morphologies. Tissues were harvested from the digestive tract, gonads, peristomial gills, and peristomial membranes of L. variegatus urchins, and each tissue individually assayed to determine their effect on the phagocytotic coelomocytes. The effect of L. variegatus tissues on phagocytes and inflammation was evaluated by analyzing changes in the median number of total phagocytes (TP) and the phagocytosis index (PI) of phagocytes over time. Preliminary observations of the cells in vitro indicate that small phagocytes may initiate and augment the formation of cellular clots within the coelomic fluid via a net-like mechanism. In the presence of yeast in vitro, a significant number of phagocytes were found to migrate into peristomial gills. Statistical analysis indicated that the presence of yeast may induce an increase in the TP in vivo; significant differences were not found between the PIs from any of the experimental conditions analyzed. These findings suggest that the presence of yeast causes inflammation, and that phagocytes migrate into peristomial gills following phagocytosis and encapsulation.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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