Abstract
The effects of the ecdysteroids ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone on microfilarial release inBrugia pahangi and on meiotic reinitiation in the oocytes ofDirofilaria immitis were studied. Ecdysone was found to stimulate microfilarial release at 2×10−6 M, but this effect was reduced at higher and lower concentrations. 20-Hydroxyecdysone was found to have no such effect. InD. immitis, ecdysone at 10−5 M was also found to overcome the period of meiotic arrest that occurs during the pachytene stage of prophase 1. This effect was reduced when 10−6 M ecdysone was used. These results help support the theory that the ecdysteroids play a hormonal role in filarial worms similar to that found in insects.
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Barker, G.C., Mercer, J.G., Rees, H.H. et al. The effect of ecdysteroids on the microfilarial production ofBrugia pahangi and the control of meiotic reinitiation in the oocytes ofDirofilaria immitis . Parasitol Res 77, 65–71 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00934388
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00934388