Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T01:53:35.951Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A comparative study of the reproductive system of mature, immature and ‘unisexual’ female Schistosoma mansoni

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

David A. Erasmus
David A. Erasmus
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University College, Cardiff, Wales
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The ultrastructure of the reproductive system of mature (54-day-old), immature (32-day-old) and females from unisexual infections of Schistosoma mansoni is described in detail. The uterus is tegumentary in structure but the vitelline duct and oviduct are complex and possess cilia as well as lamellae on their luminal surfaces. The characteristics of the cells forming the walls of the ducts suggests that they may have a digestive function. The posterior portion of the oviduct of the adult worm contains sperm which become enveloped by lamellae. The vitelline cells of the adult contain vitelline droplets, much lipid and little glycogen. A second type of body derived from endoplasmic whorls is also present. Mehlis's gland contains only one type of gland cell and these cells pass through the ootype wall and open into its lumen. The female from unisexual infections has an incompletely developed Mehlis's gland, an ovary in which the Golgi complexes do not produce typical cortical granules and has vitelline cells which remain immature. The oviduct, ootype and uterus are well developed in contrast to the vitelline duct. A comparison with young, but not inseminated worms, suggests that the presence of sperm in the oviduct is not the major stimulus which induces maturation of the female worm.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 67 , Issue 2 , October 1973 , pp. 165 - 183
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Armstrong, J. C., (1965). Mating behaviour and development of schistosomes in the mouse. Journal of Parasitology 51, 605–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bogotsh, B. J., (1970). Observations on the cytochemistry of the Mehlis' gland cells of Haematoloechus medioplexus. Journal of Parasitology 56, 1084–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, P. R., (1966). The ultrastructure of the integument of the frog bladder fluke Haematoloechus medioplexus (Trematoda: Plagiorchiidae). Journal of Morphology 115, 305–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, P. R., (1967). Fine structure of the reproductive system of a frog lung fluke. I. Mehlis' gland and associated ducts. Journal of Parasitology 53, 540–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clegg, J. A., (1965). In vitro cultivation of Schistosoma mansoni. Experimental Parasitology 16, 133–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coil, W. H., (1963). Observations on the histochemistry of Syncoelium spathulatum. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 30, 60–5.Google Scholar
Coil, W. H., (1965). Observations on egg shell formation in Hydrophitrema gigantica. Sandars 1960. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 25, 510–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duvall, R. H., & Dewitt, W. B., (1967). An improved perfusion technique for recovering adult schistosomes from laboratory animals. American Journal for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 16, 483–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Erasmus, D. A., (1967). The host parasite interface of Cyathocotyle bushiensis Khan, 1962. (Trematoda: Strigeoidea). II. Electron microscope studies of the tegument. Journal of Parasitology 53, 703–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Erasmus, D. A., (1969). Studies on the host parasite interface of strigeoid trematodes. IV. The ultrastructure of the lappets of Apetemon gracilis minor Yamaguti, 1833. Parasitology 59, 193–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faust, E. C., Jones, D. A., & Hoffman, W. A., (1934). Studies on Schistosomiasis mansoni in Puerto Rico. III. Biological studies, 2. The mammalian phase of the life cycle. Puerto Eican Journal of Public Health 10, 133–96.Google Scholar
Foor, W. E., Johnson, M. H., & Beaver, P. C., (1971). Morphological changes in the spermatozoa of Dipetalonema viteae in utero. Journal of Parasitology 57, 1163–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fripp, P. J., (1967). Histochemical localization of esterase activity in schistosomes. Experimental Parasitology 21, 380–90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gönnert, R., (1955). Schistosomiasis — Studien I. Beiträge zur Anatomie und Histologie von Schistosoma mansoni. Zeitschrift für Tropenmedicin und Parasitology 6, 18–33.Google ScholarPubMed
Irwin, S. W. B., & Threadgold, L. T., (1970). Electron microscope studies on Fasciola hepatica. VIII. The development of the vitelline cells. Experimental Parasitology 28, 399–411.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Irwin, S. W. B., & Threadgold, L. T., (1972). Electron microscope studies of Fasciola hepatica. X. Egg formation. Experimental Parasitology 31, 321–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, D. L., (1966). The structure and composition of the helminth cuticle. In Advances in Parasitology (ed. Dawes, B.), pp. 187–254. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Lee, D. L., & Anya, A. O., (1967). The structure and development of the spermatozoon of Aspiculuris tetraptera (Nematoda). Journal of Cell Science 2, 537–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Looss, A., (1895). Zur Anatomie und Histologie der Bilharzia haematobia (Cobbold). Archive für Mikroscopie und Anatomie 46, 1–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Michaels, R. M., (1969). Mating of Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Experimental Parasitology 25, 58–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, D. V., Yelles, T. K., & Meleney, H. E., (1954). The relationship of male worms to the sexual development of female Schistosoma mansoni. Journal of Parasitology 40, 166–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, G. P., & Threadgold, L. T., (1968). Ultrastructure of the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni. Journal of Parasitology 54, 15–27.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oaks, J., & Lumsden, R., (1971). Cytological studies on the absorptive surfaces of cestodes. V. Incorporation of carbohydrate containing macromolecules into tegument membranes. Journal of Parasitology 57, 1256–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paraense, W. L., (1949). Further observations on the sex of Schistosoma mansoni in the infestations produced by cercariae from a single snail. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Crus 47, 547–56.Google Scholar
Paraense, W. L., & Santos, J. M., (1949). The sex of Schistosoma mansoni in the infestations produced by cercariae from a single snail. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 47, 51–62.Google Scholar
Pellegrino, J., & Katz, N., (1968). Experimental chemotherapy of Schistosomiasis mansoni. In Advances in Parasitology 6 (ed. Dawes, B.), 6, pp. 232–90. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Senft, A. W., (1969). Considerations of schistosome physiology in the search for antibilharziasial drugs. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 160, 571–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Severinghaus, A. E., (1928). Sex studies in Schistosoma japonicum. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science 71, 653–702.Google Scholar
Short, R. B., (1952). Sex studies on Schistosomatium douthitti Cort, 1914; Price, 1931. Trematoda, Schistosomatidae. American Midland Naturalist 47, 1–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silk, M. H., Spence, I. M., & Gear, J. H. S., (1969). Ultrastructural studies of the blood fluke — Schistosoma mansoni. I. The integument. South African Journal of Medical Science 34, 1–10.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, J. H., Reynolds, E. S., & Lichtenberg, F. von, (1969). The integument of Schistosoma mansoni. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 18, 28–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smithers, S. R., & Terry, R. J.. (1965). The infection of laboratory hosts with cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni and the recovery of the adult worms. Parasitology 55, 695–700.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spence, I. M., & Silk, M. H., (1971). Ultrastructural studies of the blood fluke — Schistosoma mansoni. V. The female reproductive system — a preliminary report. South African Journal of Medical Science 36, 41–50.Google ScholarPubMed
Standen, O. D., (1949). Experimental Schistosomiasis. II. Maintenance of Schistosoma mansoni in the laboratory, with some notes on experimental infection with S. haematobium. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 43, 268–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, M. G., (1970). Hybridisation experiments on five species of African schistosomes. Journal of Helminthology 44, 253–314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, M. G, Amin, M. B. A., & Nelson, G. S., (1969). “Parthogenesis” in Schistosoma matthei. Journal of Helminthology 43, 197–206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thorsell, W., & Björkman, N., (1965). On the fine structure of the Mehlis' gland in the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica L. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 26, 63–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Threadgold, L. T., & Irwin, S. W. B., (1970). Electron microscope studies of Fasciola hepatica. IX. The fine structure of Mehlis' gland. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 35, 16–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed