Localization, with Monoclonal Antibodies and by Detection of Autonomous Fluorescence, of Blood Cells in the Tissues of the Vanadium-Rich Ascidian, Ascidia sydneiensis samea

Ascidians have several types of blood cells which have been reported to be involved in various functions. However, it is still unclear what type of blood cell participates in each of various functions and in which tissue each type of blood cell localize in ascidians. As a necessary step to make clear the important and intractable problems, the localization of four different types of blood cells was examined using two kinds of cell marker, monoclonal antibodies and autonomous fluorescence. Consequently, it was revealed that signet ring cells were the only blood cells that were localized in the connective tissues around the alimentary canal and the amoebocytes were mainly distributed in the transverse vessels of the branchial basket. The morula cells and compartment cells were distributed under the epidermis of the mantle around the visceral region.