Publications and Research
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
5-6-2025
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, hematopoiesis produces three types of blood cells (hemocytes): plasmatocytes, lamellocytes, and crystal cells, all of which provide vital immunological activities. Crystal cells have an especially essential role in melanization, a wound reaction mediated by prophenoloxidase enzymes. This study investigates genetic regulators of crystal cell growth by RNAi-mediated knockdown of five potential genes: ACXA, ACXB, Gp210, CG4390, and Cyp4s3. We used the GAL4/UAS system to selectively silence each gene and quantify crystal cell counts in wandering third instar larvae after heat shock-induced melanization. Our findings indicate that knockdown of ACXA and ACXB resulted in higher crystal cell counts relative to controls, implying that these genes may operate as negative regulators of crystal cell production. Gp210 and CG4390 knockdowns demonstrated moderate or inconsistent effects. Cyp4s3 revealed a potential increase in crystal cell number, but the small sample size prevents clear conclusions. Across most of the genotypes, female larvae had significantly higher crystal cell counts than males, possibly due to their bigger body size. These findings shed light on novel regulators of Drosophila hematopoiesis and lay the framework for future research.
Comments
This poster was presented at the Research and Creative Inquiry Expo at Baruch College (May 6, 2025).