The hemocytes of Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).
Five hemocyte types were identified in the hemolymph of Panstrongylus megistus by phase contrast and common light microscopy using some histochemical methods. These are: Prohemocytes, small cells presenting a great nucleus/cytoplasm ratio; Plasmatocytes, the most numerous hemocytes, are polymorphic cells mainly characterized by a large amount of lysosomes; Granulocytes, hemocytes very similar to plasmatocytes which contain cytoplasmic granules and are especially rich in polysaccharides; Oenocytoids, cells presenting a small nucleus and a thick cytoplasm; they show many small round vacuoles when observed in Giemsa smears and many cytoplasmic granules under phase microscopy; Adipohemocytes, very large hemocytes, presenting many fat droplet inclusions which could correspond to free fat bodies which entered the hemolymph. Only prohemocytes and plasmatocytes can be clearly classified; all the other hemocyte types have a more ambiguous classification.
Barracco
M A
MA
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Departamento de Biologia, Florianópolis, Brasil.
De Oliveira
R
R
Schlemper Júnior
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000166:cytology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010203:Panstrongylus; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014225:Triatominae