Axial Organ Cells Research Articles

In vitro effect of various mitogens on starfish ( Asterias rubens) axial organ cells

The effects of various mitogens on axial organ (AO) cells of the sea star have been studied. Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulates [ 3H]thymidine incorporation by the whole population of axial organ cells of the sea star. This effect occurs 24 hr after the addition of PWM and is maximal at 40 μg/ml. In contrast, no stimulation is observed when coelomocytes are treated with PWM under the same conditions. No stimulation of the whole AO cell population is observed in the presence of Con A or LPS. However, the AO cell population can be divided, on the basis of surface adherence properties, into two subpopulations, adherent and nonadherent. Con A stimulates the nonadherent cells, but not the adherent cells: The stimulating effect is maximal 24 hr after addition of Con A and at 0.2–0.5 μg/ml. In contrast, LPS stimulates the adherent but not the nonadherent cells and the stimulating effect is maximal at 24 hr and at 45 μg/ml.

Separation of two different populations of axial organ cells of Asterias rubens by the use of lectins

Separation of two different populations of axial organ cells of Asterias rubens by the use of lectins

Reactions induced in vertebrates by invertebrate cell suspensions I/ specific effects of sea star axial organ cells injection

Starfish axial organ cell suspensions injected subcutaneously into irradiated mice induce a characteristic angiogenesis reaction. The size of the reaction appears to be dependent upon the number of injected starfish cells. Axial organ cells also provoke a splenomegaly positive test in 16 day old chick embryos. No significant angiogenesis nor splenomegaly were induced by heat killed axial organ cells, ovocytes or brachial digestive organ cells. These results support our hypothesis that echinoid axial organ represents an ancestral primary lymphoid organ.

Reactions induced in vertebrates by invertebrate cell suspensions II/ non adherent axial organ cells as effector cells

In contrast to starfish axial organ cells, coelomocytes of Asterias rubens do not induce a significant reaction of angiogenesis after subcutaneous injection into irradiated mice. Axial organ cells are separated into adhering and nonadhering cells by attachment to plastic surface. Nonadhering cells consisting mainly of small lymphocyte-like cells appear to be effector cells in the reaction. Phylogenetic implications of these observations are discussed.