Due to an interest in the evolutionary origins of
vertebrate mechanisms of immunorecognition, researchers
have frequently turned to deuterostome invertebrates as
model organisms. The purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus
purpuratus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), was selected for
this study of putative immunorecognition molecules in a
deuterostome invertebrate.
Hemagglutinins, molecules which agglutinate red blood...
The acute phase response (APR) includes an early response of the innate immune
system to an inflammatory agent. Acute phase proteins (APP) are produced at
increased rates in the liver during this response. The APR has been well
characterized in mammals, but it is unclear to what degree teleosts mount...
In a comparison of the mammalian and fish immune systems many similarities and differences are found. While most of the differences occur in the acquired or lymphoid arm of immunity, the nonlymphoid immune systems of fish and mammals share many similarities. For instance, both animal groups use phagocytic neutrophils and...
The host snail Biomphalaria glabrata and the parasitic trematode
Schistosoma mansoni are valuable subjects for studies evaluating and
defining immunological parameters that determine the outcome of
individual host-parasite encounters. In this thesis, both soluble and
cellular components of the snail's hemolymph were examined to gain
insight into the basis for...
The central nervous system of Phidippus, while comparable to that
of other spiders in most respects, is distinguished by the extraordinary
development of visual processing centers, associated with the
complex visually-directed behavior of these animals.
The primary neuropile of the anterior medial eyes consists of two
distinct columnar synapsing regions....
It has long been observed that stress can increase our
susceptibility to infectious diseases and cancers. Recent
experimental evidence suggests that this increased susceptibility is
due to suppression of immunity. A variety of neuroendocrine products
are released during periods of stress, and a large number of these
are now known...
Adaptive immune capabilities of the Urochordate S. montereyensis
were studied. Animals repeatedly injected with bacteria were bled and
the following properties were measured in vitro: agglutinin, bactericidin,
bacteria-cell association. Both Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria
were isolated from the gut of S. montereyensis and used as antigens at
10⁸...