Encapsulation of Aspidogaster conchicola (Trematoda: Aspidogastrea) by unionid mussels

Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) hemocytes: Morphology and function

“…Encapsulation is often used by invertebrates including molluscs to sequester pathogens that are too big to be phagoctosed by individual hemocytes (Cheng, 1981;Field et al, 2004). In unionid mussels, the encapsulation of the Aspidogaster conchicola (Trematoda: Aspidogastrea) is achieved by fibrocytes (Huehner and Etges, 1981). Cheng (1981) demonstrated that these fibrocytes are granulocytes that are morphologically altered in the latter stages of encapsulation process.…”

The inter-relationships of bivalve haemocytes

“…Brown cells are fixed phagocytes (Adema et al, 1991) usually common in the renopericardial region, and in connective tissue (Adema et al, 1991;Reindl & Haszprunar, 1996), but may aggregate in lesions and around parasites (Huehner & Etges, 1981;Sagristà et al, 1995), which they may phagocytose (Hine & Wesney, 1994). Brown cells appear to have limited ability to degrade endocytosed material, but may remove such matter by diapedesis.…”

Susceptibility of the Giant African snail (Achatina fulica) exposed to the gastropod parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita

“…Also there is limited research into using the shell as a 186 defense mechanism but a similar response has been shown in other molluscs. For example 187 mussels encapsulate trematodes such as Aspidogaster conchicola (Huehner and Etges, 1981). …”