Comparative study on the effect of cyclic nucleotides related to the function of Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes and human granulocytes

The biochemical processes linked up to cyclic nucleotides related to the ph enomenon of phagocytosis in Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes were studied. I n hemocytes the results suggest the presence of a phagocytic capacity simil ar to that observed in human cells related to regulation by cyclic adenylat e monophosphate (cAMP), but not by cyclic guanylate monophosphate (cGMP). T his similarity and differences in the metabolic process of phagocytary capa city between human phagocytary cells and hemocytes could represent an inter esting model aimed at studying the phylogenetic evolution of enzymatic comp lexes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. AU rights reserved.