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Ultrastructure of the digestive tract of Paradiplozoon homoion (Monogenea)

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Abstract

Paradiplozoon homoion is a representative of blood-feeding ectoparasites from the family Diplozoidae (Polyopisthocotylea, Monogenea). Although these worms have been the subject of numerous taxonomical, phylogenetic and ecological studies, the ultrastructure of the alimentary system and related structures, as well as the mechanisms of essential processes like fish blood digestion, remain mostly unknown. Our observation of P. homoion using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed two main types of digestive cells—U-shaped haematin cells and connecting syncytium. Particular structures such as mouth cavity with specialised receptors, two oval-shaped muscular buccal suckers, pharynx surrounded with the glandular cells, oesophagus, the intestinal caeca with intact erythrocytes in the lumen, the apical pinocytotic fibrous surface complex and haematin vesicles of U-shaped cells have been shown in detail. According to our results, the P. homoion is degrading the blood components predominantly intracellularly.

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Abbreviations

BL:

Basal lamina

BS:

Buccal sucker

BSC:

Buccal sucker capsule

C:

Cilium

CR:

Ciliary rootlet

CS:

Connecting syncytium

D:

Desmosome

Du:

Duct

EDC:

Electron dense collars

ER:

Endoplasmic reticulum

Ery:

Erythrocyte

GA:

Golgi apparatus

GC:

Glandular cell

GCD:

Glandular cell duct

GL:

Gut lumen

H:

Haematin

HC:

Haematin cells

HCL:

Haematin cell lamellae

Hd:

Hemidesmosome

He:

Haemoglobin

HV:

Haematin vesicles

I:

Intestine

IC:

Intestine caeca

J:

Junction

LS:

“Lips-shape” muscle bundles of pharynx

M:

Mitochondria

MB:

Muscle bundle

MC:

Mouth cavity

MCS:

Muscle cross section

MF:

Muscle fibre

MLS:

Muscle longitudinal section

N:

Nucleus

Nu:

Nucleolus

NV:

Neurovesicles

O:

Oesophagus

P:

Pharynx

Pa:

Parenchyma

PC:

Pharyngeal capsule

PL:

Pharynx lumen

Ps:

Pinosome

S:

Septum

SIL:

Short irregular lamellae

SL:

Sarcolemma

SR:

Sarcoplasmic reticulum

SV:

Secretory vesicles

T:

Tegument

ZL:

Zip-like lamellae

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno. A big thank goes to Professor Iva Dyková for support with TEM observations, helpful comments and kind approach. Authors also thank the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Biology Centre of ASCR, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, and Petra Masařová for TEM sample preparation. Great thanks to Gabriela Vágnerová and Eliška Šrámová for help with fish autopsies and to Peter Daniel Stuart for English correction of this text. The study was financially supported by the Czech Academy of Sciences, Grant No. GAP506/12/1258.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic

    V. Konstanzová, B. Koubková, M. Kašný, J. Ilgová & M. Gelnar

  2. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic

    M. Kašný

  3. Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Warmia and Mazury University, Żolnierska 14c, 10-561, Olsztyn, Poland

    E. Dzika

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  1. V. Konstanzová
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  2. B. Koubková
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  3. M. Kašný
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  4. J. Ilgová
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  5. E. Dzika
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  6. M. Gelnar
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Correspondence to V. Konstanzová.

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Konstanzová, V., Koubková, B., Kašný, M. et al. Ultrastructure of the digestive tract of Paradiplozoon homoion (Monogenea). Parasitol Res 114, 1485–1494 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4331-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4331-4

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