HEMOCOEL DISTRIBUTION OF CONCANAVALIN-A AMONG THE TISSUES OF MANDUCA-SEXTA FOLLOWING BACTERIAL INJECTION

It was found that the glucose/mannose lectin (CH3)-C-14-concanavalin A (Con A), when injected into the hemocoel of Manduca sexta larvae toge ther with bacteria, was associated with the nodules which form. Distri bution of Con A within immune structures involved its association with specific hemocytes as well as the area between them. The non-lectin c ontrol (CH3)-C-14-bovine serum albumin did not concentrate in immune s tructures, so it is tentatively assumed that the interaction of Con A is of a specific nature, presumably as a result of its lectin activity .