Immune cell regeneration in the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius)
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius is an increasingly problematic urban insect pest. An understanding of the biology of these insects, in particular their immunology is vital to identify effective, and potentially novel, means of pest control. Furthermore due to the unique mating method of bed bugs, traumatic insemination, the process of mating is directly linked to immunity: the male deposits sperm directly into the female’s body cavity whilst introducing microbes into the female’s hemocoel.
Bed bug reproduction and immunity are intimately dependent on specialised immune cells (hemocytes) yet very little is understood about their origin or ontogeny. For example, it is unknown if hemocytes have a fixed population size which declines with adult age, or whether they are replenished in adult insects.
To better understand the population of hemocytes following an immune challenge we used flow cytometry to analyse the nuclear DNA content in hemocytes over the course of an immune challenge. Our results suggest that hemocytes divide in adult bed bugs and that the proliferation rate differs between different compartments of the bed bug’s hemocoel. Our findings provide an insight into hemocyte population dynamics, enhance our understanding of insect cellular immunity and provide a foundation for examining the immune system as a target for pest control.
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