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Updated: Apr 1, 2026
A Simple Protocol for Extracting Hemocytes from Wild Caterpillars
Published on: November 15, 2012
Development of primary cell cultures using hemocytes and phagocytic tissue cells of Locusta migratoria: an
Tewodros Firdissa Duressa1, Roger Huybrechts2
1Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology Research Group, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
Insect cell cultures played central roles in unraveling many insect physiological and immunological processes. Regardless, despite imminent needs, insect cell lines were developed primarily from Dipteran and Lepidopteran orders, leaving many important insects such as Orthopteran locusts under-represented. Besides the lack of cell lines, the slow progress in development of in vitro techniques is attributed to poor communications between different laboratories regarding optimized primary cell cultures. Therefore, we report here about methods developed for primary cell culture of Locusta migratoria hemocyte and phagocytic tissue cells by which we could maintain viable hemocytes in vitro for over 5 d and phagocytic tissue cells for over 12 d. 2-Mercaptoethanol and phenyl-thiourea supplements in Grace's medium together with addition of fetal bovine serum 30 min after cell seeding resulted in a successful setup of the primary cell cultures and a week-long survival of the hemocytes and phagocytic tissue cells in vitro.
