Roles of Mytilus coruscus and Crassostrea gigas Blood Cells in Defense and Nutrition

Hemocytes Are Sites of Enteric Virus Persistence within Oysters

“…In this scenario, hemocytes might take up human enteric viruses directly from water via association with the mucus-coated epithelial surfaces of the oyster gills, mantle, and other tissues. Hemocytes do routinely pass through oyster epidermis from the hemolymph, where they actively phagocytize and pinocytize foreign particles (2,16). Due to the relative porosity of the epidermis of bivalves, it is conceivable that human viruses in the water column could diffuse through epidermal tissues to reach circulating hemocytes within hemolymph, which has been observed for bacteria (3).…”

A Classification of Molluscan Hemocytes Based on Functional Evidences

“…Relative to this phenomenon, Feng et al have raised an interesting point. Specifically, based on the results of Yonge (1926), Stauber (1950), Tripp (1960), and Feng et al (1977), it can now be concluded that there is a two-way traffic of hemocytes across the epithelial lining of the alimentary tract and the movement of cells is not a random phenomenon. Therefore, an interesting question has to be raised as to what are the mechanisms governing the direction of hemocyte movement from the lumen to deep tissues and vice versa?…”

“…The finding by Feng et al (1977) of these pigments, which can only be synthesized by plants, in hemocytes indicates that the molluscs must have acquired them by phagocytosing pigment-bearing unicellular algae which comprise the diet of these filter feeders.…”

“…In a most significant study, Feng et al (1977) Campbell (1970), Pectunculus glycymeris by Lederer ( 1933) and Fabre and Lederer ( 1934), and Pecten maximus by Lederer (1934). The finding by Feng et al (1977) of these pigments, which can only be synthesized by plants, in hemocytes indicates that the molluscs must have acquired them by phagocytosing pigment-bearing unicellular algae which comprise the diet of these filter feeders.…”

“…Since Stauber (1950), Tripp (1960), and others reported that hemocytes laden with noninjurious foreign materials, e.g., India ink particles, bacterial spores, etc. , migrate through the alimentary wall to the lumen, and Yonge (1926) and Feng et al (1977) found the migration of cells laden with materials of food origin from the lumen through the eipthelium into deep tissues, it may be inferred that the directional migration of hemocytes is in some way directed by their exogenous inclusions.…”