We have investigated Aplysia hemolymph as a source of endogenous factors to promote regeneration of bag cell neurons. We describe a novel synergistic effect between substrate-bound hemolymph proteins and laminin. This combination increased outgrowth and branching relative to either laminin or hemolymph alone. Notably, the addition of hemolymph to laminin substrates accelerated growth cone migra...

We have identified, by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, four alkylphenols that are present in the hemolymph and tissues of the American lobster Homarus americanus and in marine sediments. These alkylphenols are used industrially in antioxidant formulations for plastic and rubber polymer manufacturing, and are similar in structure to a known endocrine disruptor, bisphenol A. The compound 2-...

New neurons are incorporated throughout life into the brains of many vertebrate and nonvertebrate species. This process of adult neurogenesis is regulated by a variety of external and endogenous factors, including environmental enrichment, which increases the production of neurons in juvenile mice and crayfish. The primary goal of this study was to exploit the spatial separation of the neuronal...

Pupae of the silk moth, Samia cynthia, were found to contain an inducible antibacterial activity in their hemolymph. This immunity response was provoked by primary infections with either Escherichia coli K-12 or Enterobacter cloacae. In both cases the antibacterial activity was directed chiefly towards E. coli. During standard conditions, 1% of hemolymph could kill 10(3) to 10(4) viable E. coli...

In Helisoma duryi, the periostracum is the outermost organic layer of the shell and it is secreted by the mantle collar. Addition of porcine insulin (0.1 μg/ml) to the incubation medium increases the incorporation of labeled amino acids in the mantle collar in vitro. The immunoblotting technique revealed two immunoreactive insulin bands with a molecular weight of 16 and 7 kDa in the hemolymph. ...

The banded woolly bear caterpillar, Pyrrharctia isabella (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), overwinters in leaf litter and survives freezing under natural conditions. Following 18 weeks of cold acclimation at 5°C, all caterpillars could survive 1 week of continuous freezing at -20°C or seven cycles of freezing-thawing at -20°C, but none survived freezing at -80°C. Field-collected caterpillars had a tempe...

Host plasma proteins and protein digestion in larval parasitoids were studied during trophic interactions of the ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a host, larvae of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). We could detect no apparent differences in host hemolymph protein patterns up to 72 h after paralysation and/or parasit...

The bacterial flora of blue crabs (Callinectes sapid us) from Chesapeake Bay was examined. Hemolymph of normal, healthy blue crabs was found non-sterile, with total bacterial counts ranging from <100 to >3.0 x 10 5 on a seawater-based medium and 0 to >10 5 on Standard Methods Agar. Counts of 0-10 3 were observed on TCBS agar. Vibrio spp., including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, were the major taxono...

The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, transmits the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, whereas the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), is unable to transmit the bacterium. We compared the innate immune response of these ticks against spirochetes directly inoculated into the hemocoel cavity of ticks. In I. scapularis, some Borrelia were found associated with hemocy...

A novel feeding protocol for delivery of bio-active agents to Varroa mites was developed by providing mites with honey bee larva hemolymph supplemented with cultured insect cells and selected materials delivered on a fibrous cotton substrate. Mites were starved, fed on treated hemolymph to deliver selected agents and then returned to bee larvae. Transcript levels of two reference genes, actin a...