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Worm morphology of Schistosoma japonicum using confocal laser scanning microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 August 2011

Wei-na Zhang ,
Peng Zhang ,
Miao Liu ,
Cui-ping Ren ,
Xue-mei Jia ,
Da-ke Huang ,
Li Gui  and
Ji-jia Shen
Wei-na Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology
Peng Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology
Miao Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology
Cui-ping Ren
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology
Xue-mei Jia
Affiliation:
Comprehensive Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, 81# Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui230032, People's Republic of China
Da-ke Huang
Affiliation:
Comprehensive Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, 81# Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui230032, People's Republic of China
Li Gui
Affiliation:
Comprehensive Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, 81# Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui230032, People's Republic of China
Ji-jia Shen*
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology
*
*E-mail: shenjijia@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Male and female Schistosoma japonicum worms have dissimilar appearances in their final host. In this study, a morphometric and morphological assessment of whole worms derived from unisexual and mixed infections in mice was conducted using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Worms from mixed infections showed significant morphological changes between 15 and 25 days post-infection (PI). On the fifteenth day PI, 33% of males had formed the conspicuous gynecophoric canal, but only 8% of them had testicular lobes containing a few germinative cells; 13% of females had incipient ovaries with a few immature ovarian cells inside. On the twentieth day PI, the testicular lobes contained more germinative cells in all male worms, while female worms presented vitelline glands. On the twenty-fifth day PI, more germinative cells were observed in the male testicular lobes, and differentiated cells were present in the female ovaries. All worms had fully developed reproductive organs from 30 days PI onwards. Morphometric analysis showed significant differences between mixed and unisexual infections at 35 days PI. Ovaries of worms from unisexual infections contained cells in one stage of maturation and vitelline glands had undifferentiated cells. Our study of S. japonicum provides a detailed comparison of different morphological traits from worms of mixed and unisexual infections throughout development.

Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 86 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 317 - 322
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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