The important significance of filopodial elongation of phagocytic granular cells of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, in recognition of foreignness.
The significance of filopodial elongation of granular phagocytes of Bombyx mori in recognition of foreignness was examined using a larval epidermis obtained from the same individual of B.mori as a self material and intra- or interspecific epidermis and glass as non-self ones. Incubation of cells on self or intraspecific epidermis markedly decreased the filopodial elongation of attached cells, as compared with the incubation on glass. Interspecific epidermis from other Lepidopterans (Papilio xuthus and Pieris melete) have not received filopodial elongation of B.mori granular cells to a lesser degree than B.mori epidermis. Moreover, granular cells directly fixed with glutaraldehyde soon after bleeding were also observed to fold their filopodia. These results seemed to provide experimental evidence that filopodial elongation was probably stimulated by non-self recognition by granular phagocytes.
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007814:Larva; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure