Abstract:

 Hemolymph smears were prepared after extruding soft tissues of Oncomelania hupensis and stained by fluorescent dye acridine orange. The hemocytes were observed under a fluorescence microscope. The following 12 types of hemocytes were clearly seen, including round hemocytes with abundance of red cytoplasm, round hemocytes with abundance of red cytoplasm and intracellular granules, round hemocytes with little red cytoplasm, round hemocytes with little red cytoplasm but the presence of intracellular granules, round hemocytes with abundance of green cytoplasm, round hemocytes with abundance of green cytoplasm and intracellular granules, round hemocytes with little green cytoplasm, round hemocytes with little green cytoplasm but the presence of intracellular granules, hemocytes with abundance of cytoplasm and pseudopodia, hemocytes with little cytoplasm but the presence of pseudopodia, fusiform hemocytes with red cytoplasm, and fusiform hemocytes with green cytoplasm. The results indicated that the method could be used for the staining of hemocytes of O. hupensis, which will provide technical support for studies on shellfish immune defense and the effects of various biological, physical and chemical factors on hemocytes of O. hupensis.
  

Key words: Oncomelania hupensis, Hemocytes, Acridine orange, Stainning