Crystal cells are one class of hemocytes (

blood cell A blood cell (also called a hematopoietic cell, hemocyte, or hematocyte) is a cell produced through hematopoiesis and found mainly in the blood. Major types of blood cells include red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), ...

s) in ''

Drosophila melanogaster ''Drosophila melanogaster'' is a species of fly (an insect of the Order (biology), order Diptera) in the family Drosophilidae. The species is often referred to as the fruit fly or lesser fruit fly, or less commonly the "vinegar fly", "pomace fly" ...

''. They play a primary role in wound healing and

Reactive Oxygen Species In chemistry and biology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive chemicals formed from diatomic oxygen (), water, and hydrogen peroxide. Some prominent ROS are hydroperoxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2−), hydroxyl ...

Production. They heal wounds primarily by creating a melanized mass analogous to a human blood clot or scab. Reactive oxygen species production is important for fighting off infections. Crystal cells are larger than plasmatocytes and smaller than Lamellocytes and can be identified by their prominent prophenoloxidasae (PPO) crystals, which are the main protein structures which allow them to melanize. Crystal cells have also been shown to carry oxygen. Crystal cells in Drosophila are analogous to oenocytoids in other insects.

References

{{reflist Drosophila melanogaster