Figure 5.

Confocal microscopy images of phagocytic hemocytes infected with Rickettsia parkeri. Representative confocal images of immunofluorescence staining for R. parkeri proteins showing hemocytes from natural and artificially infected ticks. (A) Immunolocalization of R. parkeri in hemocytes of naturally infected Am. maculatum. Hemocytes were incubated with primary antibodies targeting R. parkeri outer membrane protein (red) and Hoechst 33342 (blue). Infection of hemocytes with R. parkeri following (B) capillary feeding and (C) microinjection of GFP-expressing R. parkeri into uninfected Am. maculatum. Hemocytes were incubated with R. parkeri Sca2 antibody (red) and Hoechst 33342 (blue). Hemocytes were fixed, permeabilized and blocked prior to incubating with antibody. Scale bar = 5 μm.