Size-associated Variation and Factors Affecting the Morphology of Brown Bodies in Glycera tridactyla (Polychaeta:Glyceridae)

Size-associated variations in brown body morphology (size and shape) were studied from the individuals of Glycera tridactyla. Variables related to size, length (BL) and width (BW) of the brown bodies were measured. On the basis of these measurements, other variables such as the surface area (SA), volume (V), surface area/volume ratio (SA/V) and elongation degree (ED) were calculated. Brown body shape was quantified by the elongation degree. The immature brown bodies were significantly smaller than the mature bodies, and therefore the smaller bodies had a higher SA/V. Results obtained from the regression analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between all the variables with the exception of SA/V:BW for the immature bodies and ED: BL for both groups of the bodies. The body size (proboscis length) of the worm and the sampling time (months) were the affecting factors on size and shape of the brown body. Brown bodies tend to be elongated as the proboscis length increased. The variation in size and/or shape of the brown bodies could refer to an adaptation to the movement along the coelomic fluid

Hodowla in vitro celomocytow dzdzownic Dendrobaena veneta

In vitro techniques are require to better understand coelomocytes - mediated immune responsed. The main obstacle in the long-term cultures of coelomocytes is the contamination with bacteria and fungi from earthworms exterior and coelomic cavity. To avoid this, coelomocytes are retrieved through a small incision in the body wall from earthworms maintained at 10°C for at least 2 weeks. Culture medium is supplemented with 1% streptomycin/penicylin (Sigma) and 0.001% thiomersal (Merck). Freshly retrieved coelomocytes of Dendrobaena veneta contain granular and non-granular cells in the proportion close to 1 : 1 while in our four-month in vitro culture granular cells predominate.Dla lepszego zrozumienia mechanizmów reakcji odpornościowych mediowanych przez celomocyty dżdżownic niezbędne są hodowle tych komórek w warunkach in vitro. Główną przeszkodą w długoterminowych hodowlach jest ich kontaminacja bakteriami i grzybami pochodzącymi z celomy i powierzchni ciała dżdżownic. Aby tego uniknąć, celomocyty pozyskujemy poprzez rozcięcie ściany ciała dżdżownic przetrzymywanych co najmniej dwa tygodnie w temperaturze 10°C. Pożywkę hodowlaną wzbogacamy 1% roztworem penicyliny/streptomycyny (Sigma) i 0,001% thiomersalem. Świeżo pobrane celomocyty Dendrobaena veneta zawierają komórki ziarniste jak i nieziarniste w proporcji zbliżonej do 1 : 1, podczas gdy w naszych hodowlach czteromiesięcznych przeważają komórki ziarniste