Morphological and functional status of hemocytes in species of the order Blattodea

We performed comparative analysis of morphological and functional status of hemocytes in species of the order Blattodea. Further, we investigated morphological and functional characteristics of hemocytes of some species representing the order Blattodea, including Periplaneta americana, Shelfordella tartara, Gromphadorhina portentosa, Blaberus craniifer, and Nauphoeta cinerea. The solutions found to the problems set in this study allowed us to draw the first ever rational classification of hemocytes of P. americana, S. tartara, G. portentosa, B. craniifer, and N. cinerea, which was based on morphological and functional characteristics and was provided as hemocyte differential. This study is the first to evaluate hemocyte cell membrane elasticity. We also measured phagocytic activity for each type of blood cells and calculated phagocytic indices. We found that phagocytes prevailed in hemocyte differential of all species. Membrane reserve was least used by type 1 hemocytes (up to 16%). Types 2, 3 and 5 were actively engaged in phagocytosis processes, and these types were most active to use membrane reserve. The ability to absorb foreign cells was detected in type 2, 3 and 6 hemolymph cells. Type 3 hemocytes dominated among the cells engaged in absorption of foreign cells in all the species studied.