Formed elements of the blood of the fresh water mussel, Lamellidens corrianus.

Abstract

The formed elements of the blood of L. corrianus are comprised exclusively of amoebocytes, whose total number is approximately 758 per cubic mm of blood. The blood cells are of three types, viz. acidophils, large basophils and small basophils, which are respectively 26.32%, 60.20% and 13.48% of the total blood cell population. The cytoplasm of the acidophils is filled with large acidophilic granules, while that of the basophils contains fine basophilic granules. Acidophils are the largest (7.6 μ × 6.7 μ), large basophils are smaller (6.5 μ × 4.9 μ), and small basophils are the smallest (4.1 μ × 3.8 μ). The nucleus occupies a very small volume of the cell (approx. 1/9th) in acidophils, a larger volume (approx. 1/4th) in large basophils, and a major volume (approx. 3/4th) in small basophils. The blood cells show amoeboid movement, which is brought about by means of broad lamellate pseudopodia. Large basophils move very slowly, acidophils move faster, and small basophils move quite fast. Fine bristle-like filipodia help the blood cells in getting entangled to form clumps. Filipodia are more abundant in large basophils and acidophils which pertake more actively in clumping than small basophils which rarely possess filipodia. Clumping is a reversible process which is promoted by mechanical agitation of blood.