Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of Drosophila hemocytes reveals important functional similarities to mammalian leukocytes.

ABSTRACT: Drosophila is a powerful model for molecular studies of hematopoiesis and innate immunity. However, its use for functional cellular studies remains hampered by the lack of single-cell assays for hemocytes (blood cells). Here we introduce a generic method combining fluorescence-activated cell sorting and nonantibody probes that enables the selective gating of live Drosophila hemocytes from the lymph glands (larval hematopoietic organ) or hemolymph (blood equivalent). Gated live hemocytes are analyzed and sorted at will based on precise quantitation of fluorescence levels originating from metabolic indicators, lectins, reporters (GFP and beta-galactosidase) and antibodies. With this approach, we discriminate and sort plasmatocytes, the major hemocyte subset, from lamellocytes, an activated s

SUBMITTER: Tirouvanziam R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC365719 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature