Characterization of Coelomic Fluid Cell Types in the Starfish Marthasterias glacialis Using a Flow Cytometry/Imaging Combined Approach

Coelomocytes is the generic name for a collection of cellular morphotypes, present in many coelomate animals, and highly variable among echinoderm classes. The roles attributed to major types these free circulating cells coelomic fluid echinoderms include immune response, phagocytic digestion clotting. Our main aim this study was characterize coelomocytes found Marthasterias glacialis (class Asteroidea) by using combination flow cytometry (FC), imaging (IFC) fluorescence plus transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two coelomocyte populations (P1 P2) identified through were subsequently studied terms abundance, morphology, ultrastructure, cell viability cycle profiles. Ultrastructurally, P2 diploid as two similar phagocytes vertebrate thrombocytes, whereas smaller P1 population characterized low mitotic activity, relatively undifferentiated cytotype high nucleus/cytoplasm ratio. In we could not rule out possible similarities between haploid stem-cell other animals. Additionally, report presence morphotypes that only be detected microscopy, well morphotype revealed via combined microscopy/FC. This integrative experimental workflow physical separation with different microscopic image capture technologies, enabling us better tackle characterization heterogeneous composition populations.