Abstract
Six types of gland cells have been characterised histochemically in developing cercariae ofPhilophthalmus burrili: basic protein cells; acid mucopolysaccharide cells; mucoprotein cells; ventrolateral and tail sucker cells, which contain mucoprotein; tail parenchyma cells, which contain acid mucopolysaccharide. Before cercariae leave the redia, the basic protein and acid mucopolysaccharide cells (apart from those surrounding the suckers) secrete their contents to form a jacket around the body. The jacket consists mainly of basic protein, but in the posterior region of the hindbody the basic protein is interspersed with acid mucopolysaccharide. A thin film of acid mucopolysaccharide overlies the basic protein dorsally, dorsolaterally and around the posterior half of the hindbody. The distribution of material in the flask-shaped cyst, which is readily formed by cercariae when they contact the substrate, is essentially as described for the jacket — the bulk of the cyst wall is basic protein or, in the neck region (which corresponds to the hindbody of the cercaria), basic protein interspersed with acid mucopolysaccharide. A thin film of acid mucopolysaccharide overlies exposed parts of the cyst wall.
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Howell, M.J. Gland cells and encystment ofPhilophthalmus burrili cercariae. Z. Parasitenkd. 69, 207–216 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926955
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926955