Evasion of the haemocytic defence reaction of certain insects by larvae of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda)

Abstract

SummaryLarvae of Hymenolepis diminuta develop in the haemocoele of the beetles Tribolium and Tenebrio, and of the locust Schistocerca gregaria, without being encapsulated by haemocytes. The mechanism of this evasion of the haemocytic defence reaction has been examined using various techniques. Larvae grown in culture and injected into S. gregaria have few or no haemocytes adherent even after 8 h, although latex beads injected at the same time have been thickly encapsulated. This, and results of transplanting cysticercoids and host tissue between different insect species, suggests that the surface of the larvae may bear an inherent similarity to the surface of host tissues and thus escape recognition as ‘not-self’ by the host’s haemocytes.