Study of Secretory Glands in Bird Schistosome
Author Information
Author(s): Ligasová Anna, Bulantová Jana, Šebesta Ondřej, Kašný Martin, Koberna Karel, Mikeš Libor
Primary Institution: Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Hypothesis
The study aims to characterize the architecture and ultrastructure of glands in the neurotropic bird schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti and compare it with Schistosoma mansoni.
Conclusion
The study presents the first 3-D model of cercarial glands and estimates the volumes of three gland types in schistosomes, showing that their architecture is conserved with minor variations between species.
Supporting Evidence
- The glands occupy approximately one third of the cercarial body volume.
- The pH in circumacetabular glands was found to be higher than in postacetabular glands.
- The study provides a detailed morphological picture of the glands of T. regenti cercaria.
Takeaway
This study looks at special glands in a type of parasite that can cause skin problems in humans, helping us understand how they invade their hosts.
Methodology
The study used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy to analyze the glands and estimate their volumes and pH.
Limitations
The study did not evaluate the head gland volume using confocal microscopy due to the lack of a specific fluorescent marker.
Participant Demographics
Cercariae were collected from experimentally infected snails and included both specific (anatid birds) and incidental mammalian hosts.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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