Ultrastructure of differentiating hemocytes in the embryo of Oncopeltus fasciatus Dallas (Insecta,Heteroptera)

Summary The hemocytes of Oncopeltus differentiate rather early during embryogenesis. They are segregated by the mesoderm soon after its formation (about 50h after egg deposition). Newly segregated hemocytes show the typical features of embryonic cells: many free ribosomes, a few strands of rough ER, the cisternae of which are considerably distended, electron lucent vacuoles around the periphery, and glycogen deposits. A few hours thereafter the hemocytes undergo striking subcellular changes. First, glycogen, electron lucent vacuoles and rough ER disappear and phagocytotic activity can be observed. Golgi complexes become well expressed and give rise to electron dense vesicles which fuse to larger bodies. Then, rough ER develops again and occupies large areas of the cytoplasm. Its cisternae are often considerably distended by proteinaceous secretions. All hemocytes undergo the same steps of differentiation.Embryonic hemocytes obviously play a decisive role in the elimination of waste products, in particular of tissue debris that results from programmed cellular death. The significance of the conspicuous protein secretions is not fully understood. They may participate in the deposition of the acellular connective tissue, or may have some of the other functions ascribed to insect blood cells.Larvae and imagines of Oncopeltus have four types of hemocytes, which agree rather well with those found in Rhodnius (Lai-Fook, 1970). All embryonic hemocytes, aside from the newly segregated ones, represent plasmatocytes but, unlike plasmatocytes of postembryonic stages, they contain no large inclusion bodies. Newly segregated embryonic hemocytes, in addition to their typical embryonic features, have some similarities with larval and adult prohemocytes. Oenocytoids and granulocytophagous cells are absent in the embryo. Some aspects concerning the differentiation and classification of hemocytes are discussed.Supported by research grant Do 163 from the Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftThe author is grateful to Ms. K. Schmidtke and Ms. M. Ullmann for technical assistance