Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-s6l46 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-30T13:24:40.773Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Morphological and histochemical observations on Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782), with special reference to the body wall

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. W. T. Crompton
D. W. T. Crompton
Affiliation:
The Molteno Institute, University of Cambridge
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

1. Certain aspects of the general morphology of Polymorphus minutus are described together with a detailed description of the body wall.

2. An additional layer of the body wall, the epicuticle, has been demonstrated. It appears to consist of acid mucopolysaccharide and may have a function of protecting the parasite from the enzymes of its host.

3. A histochemical investigation has been made of the layers of the body wall and it is concluded that lipoprotein is one of the main structural components.

4. The distribution of the activity of the two enzymes, non-specific esterase and alkaline phosphatase, has been studied throughout the animal and the activity of a third enzyme, leucine aminopeptidase, has been detected in the body wall.

5. It is suggested that all the layers of the body wall, with the exception of the cuticle and epicuticle, are of metabolic importance. The striped layer may be connected with absorption and the felt and radial layers may be involved in the further metabolism of absorbed compounds.

6. The results obtained are used to formulate a possible structure of the surface of the parasite which would facilitate the absorption of nutrient substances through the body wall.

I am grateful to Dr P. Tate for advice and encouragement during this work, Dr R. J. Tatchell for helpful discussions, and Dr D. L. Lee for criticising the manuscript and Mr T. M. Warwick, Department of Zoology, University of Edinburgh for providing material.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 53 , Issue 3-4 , November 1963 , pp. 663 - 685
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1963

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Baker, J. R. (1961). The distribution of nucleic acids in Trypanosoma evansi. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 55, 518–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berland, B. (1961). Use of acetic acid for killing parasitic nematodes for collection purposes. Nature, Lond. 191, 1320–1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bezubik, B. (1957). Studies on Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) —syn. Polymorphus magnus Skrjabin, 1913. Acta Parasit. Polon. 5, 1–8.Google Scholar
B.D.H. (1958). Biological Stains and Staining Methods, 2nd ed. Poole, Dorset: British Drug Houses Ltd.Google Scholar
Brown, C. H. (1950). A review of the methods available for the determination of the types of forces stabilizing structural proteins in animals. Quart. J. Micr. Sci. 91, 331–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Bullock, W. L. (1949). Histochemical studies on the Acanthocephala I. The distribution of lipase and phosphatase. J. Morph. 84, 185–200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bullock, W. L. (1958). Histochemical studies on the Acanthocephala. III. Comparative histochemistry of alkaline glycerophosphatase. Exp. Parasit. 7, 51–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Casselman, W. G. B. (1959). Histochemical Technique, 1st ed. Frome and London: Butler and Tanner Ltd.Google Scholar
Chandler, A. C. & Read, C. P. (1961). Introduction to Parasitology. 10th ed. New York and London: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Erasmus, D. A. (1957 a). Studies on phosphatase systems of cestodes. I. Studies on Taenia pisiformis (Cysticercus and adult). Parasitology, 47, 70–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Erasmus, D. A. (1957 b). Studies on phosphatase systems of cestodes. II. Studies on Cysticercus tenuicollis and Moniezia expansa (adult). Parasitology, 47, 81–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goddard, D. R. & Michaelis, L. (1934). A study on keratin. J. Biol. Chem. 106, 605–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodey, J. B. (1957). Laboratory methods for work with plant and soil nematodes. Tech. Bull. 2, Min. Agri., Fish. and Food. London: H.M.S.O.Google Scholar
Graybill, H. W. (1902). Some points in the structure of the Acanthocephala. Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc. 23, 191–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greef, R. (1864). Untersuchungen über den Bau und die Naturgeschichte von Echinorhynchus miliarius Zenker (E. polymorphus). Arch. Naturgesch. 30, Bd. 1, 98–140.Google Scholar
Hamann, O. (1891). Monographie der Acanthocephalen (Echinorhynchen). Jena. Z. Naturw. 25, 113–232.Google Scholar
Holmes, J. C. (1961). Effects of concurrent infections on Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) and Moniliformis dubius (Acanthocephala). I. General effects and comparison with crowding. J. Parasit. 47, 209–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hyman, L. (1951). The Invertebrates, vol. 3. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.Google Scholar
Hynes, H. B. N. & Nicholas, W. L. (1957). The development of Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) (Acanthocephala) in the intermediate host. Ann. Trop. Med. Parasit. 51, 380–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johri, L. N. & Smyth, J. D. (1956). A histochemical approach to the study of helminth morphology. Parasitology, 46, 107–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D. L. (1962). Studies on the function of the pseudosuckers and holdfast organ of Diplostomum phoxini, Faust (Strigeida, Trematoda). Parasitology, 52, 103–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, A. (1933). Acanthocephala. Bronn's Klassen und Ordungen des Tierreichs, 4. Leipzig.Google Scholar
Monné, L. (1959). On the external cuticles of various helminths and their role in the hostparasite relationship. Ark. Zool. Ser. 2, 12, Nr. 23, 343–58.Google Scholar
Monné, L. & Hönig, G. (1954). On the embryonic envelopes of Polymorphus botulus and P. minutus (Acanthocephala). Ark. Zool. Ser. 2, 7, Nr. 16, 257–60.Google Scholar
Mueller, J. F. (1929). Studies on the microscopical anatomy and physiology of Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris megalocephala. Z. Zellforsch. 8, 362–403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicholas, W. L. & Hynes, H. B. N. (1958). Studies on Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) (Acanthocephala) as a parasite of the domestic duck. Ann. Trop. Med. Parasit. 52, 36–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pantin, C. F. A. (1959). Notes on Microscopical Technique for Zoologists. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Pearse, A. G. E. (1960). Histochemistry. Theoretical and Applied, 2nd ed. London: J. and A. Churchill Ltd.Google Scholar
Petrotschenko, W. I. (1950). O niekotorych biologiczeskich osobiennostiach skrebniej roda Polymorphus i o znaczenii etich osobiennostiej w sistiematikie. Trudy WIGIS, 4. (Quoted by Bezubik (1957).)Google Scholar
Pflugfelder, O. (1956). Abwehrreaktion der Wirtstiere von Polymorphus boschadis. Schr. (Acanthocephala). Z. Parasitenk. 17, 371–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rees, G. (1955). The adult and diplostomulum stage (Diplostomulum phoxini (Faust)) of Diplostomum pelmatoides Dubois and an experimental demonstration of part of the life cycle. Parasitology, 45, 295–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, D. L. H. (1961). Phosphatases in Schistosoma mansoni. Nature, Lond. 191, 473–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rogers, W. P. (1947). Histological distribution of alkaline phosphatase in helminth parasites. Nature, Lond. 159, 374.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saefftigen, A. (1885). Zur organisation der Echinorhynchen. Morph. Jb. 10, 120–71.Google Scholar
van Cleave, H. J. (1952). Some host-parasite relationships of the Acanthocephala, with special reference to the organs of attachment. Exp. Parasit. 1, 305–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Cleave, H. J. & Bullock, W. L. (1950). Morphology of Neoechinorhynchus emydis, a typical representative of the Eoacanthocephala. I. The praesoma. Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc. 69, 288–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ward, W. H. & Lundgren, H. P. (1954). The formation, composition and properties of the keratins. Advanc. Protein Chem. 9, 243–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wigglesworth, V. B. (1947). The epicuticle in an insect Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera). Proc. Roy. Soc. B, 134, 163–81.Google Scholar