Figure 2.

The follicle cells of the ovary phagocytose dying nurse cells. Egg chambers stained with DAPI (nuclei, blue), anti-Dgl (cell boundaries, green), and Lysotracker (acidified phagosomes, red). (Left panel) Healthy egg chamber containing nurse cells (asterisks) surrounded by follicle cells. (Right panel) Dying egg chamber in which the nurse cells have been engulfed by the follicle cells. The numerous acidified mature phagosomes within the follicle cells (arrows) are indicative of engulfment. (Images provided by Sandy Serizier and Kim McCall.)