In Vitro Phagocytosis by Hemocytes of the American Lobster (<i>Homarus americanus</i>)

Abstract

A system for holding lobster hemocytes in a viable state was developed and utilized to study the in vitro phagocytosis of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) by lobster hemocytes.Using SRBC sensitized with the opsonin present in lobster serum, 2% of the hemocytes demonstrated phagocytosis detectable as early as 20 min after the hemocytes and erythrocytes were mixed and held at 15 C. Lower phagocytosis levels were observed with untreated erythrocytes. As with other poiklothermic animals, the temperature affected the rate of phagocytosis, which was first observed at the 60-min sampling in cells held at 4 C.