Lobster Hemocyte Research

Frances Murray, Anusha Imran, and Sara Hammad

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Mentors: Dr. Grace Vernon and Dr. Mary Hamilton

Frances Murray – Lobster Hemocyte Profiles

• Introduction: Our researched focused around the study of lobster hemocyte profiles and how they compare in a well lobster compared to a sick lobster. Hemocytes make of many of the cells in lobster blood. There are three different types: large granular, small granular, and hyaline hemocytes. We know that hemocytes are important in the innate immune system, but for our research we wanted to look deeper into their role in health and disease by studying what enzymes are present in granules of the cells and by looking at cell aging.
• Questions: What is the profile of the hemocytes?
• What are the enzyme profiles?
• How old are the cells in the lobster hemolymph?
• What do they look like?
• Does the hemocyte profile of a well lobster look different from a hemocyte of a sick lobster?
• Methodology
• Bled Lobsters, Collect and Wash Hemocytes, Giemsa Staining, Perform enzyme tests, Determine Cell Aging

Anusha Imran – Identification of Differences between Hemocyanin and Altered Gene Expression in Healthy and Brown Shell Diseased Lobsters

• Introduction: We also are interested in hemocytes from lobsters with Brown Shell Disease. This is a bacterial infection that occurs in the pores of the exoskeleton. We want to company pools of RNA from asymptomatic lobsters and symptomatic lobsters to study the double-stranded complementary DNA (cDNA).
• Questions: How to identify altered gene expression associated in brown shell diseased American lobsters?
• Method: Separation of DNA molecules and comparative analysis of DNA expression

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Sara Hammad – The Relationship Between Superoxide Dismutase and Hemocyanin in the Homarus americanus

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• Introduction: We are examining oxidative enzyme function and behaviors within the hemocytes.
• Questions: What is the cellular relationship among SODs in the Homarus americanus?
• How can we use microscopy to study this relationship? 
• How and why do SODs and hemocyanin travel together for functions other than respiration?
• Methods: Cellular Fixation, Staining, Microscopy, Immunofluorescence, and Gel Electrophoresis

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Thank You!