Inflammatory Response of the Ascidian Ciona intestinalis

Abstract The Ciona intestinalis inflammatory response to several irritants appears to be composed of a complex reaction set. The cellular reactions in the tunic involve hemocyte infiltration, hemocyte and epidermis activities, vacuolization, and cell disruption, while cell products can contribute to form capsule components and/or cause a tunic wound. In this response, the involvement of the pharynx, as the main immune-competent organ, has been disclosed by a lipopolysaccharide challenge that upregulates innate immunity genes and transcription activation genes. The pharynx responds through hemocyte recruitment into the pharynx vessels, enhancement of galectin-like lectins in the serum hemoly…