Chemotactic responses of tunicate (Urochordata, Ascidiacea) hemocytes in vitro.
A number of molecules were found to alter the motility of tunicate hemocytes. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) significantly enhanced cell mobility relative to non-stimulated controls. Responses to LPS were not directional and so represented chemokinesis. In contrast, checkerboard analyses indicated that two tunicate hemolymph proteins, tunIL1-alpha and -beta, stimulated truly directional chemotaxis by hemocytes. The data suggest that tunIL1 proteins may contribute to defense by altering the localization of immunocompetent cells.
Raftos
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DA
School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2109, Australia.
Stillman
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DL
Cooper
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D000818:Animals; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006458:Hemolymph; D007700:Kinetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D014561:Urochordata / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine