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Ultrastructure and microanalyses of the protoscolex hooks of Echinococcus granulosus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

S. A. Smith  and
K. S. Richards
S. A. Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Keele, Keele, Staffs. ST5 5BG, UK
K. S. Richards
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Keele, Keele, Staffs. ST5 5BG, UK
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Abstract

The rostellar distal cytoplasm of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces is characterized by extensive basal membrane infoldings, prominent hemidesmosomes and is subtended by a lamina reticularis with microfibrils of approximately 10 nm diameter that occasionally show a 55 nm banding periodicity. The rostellar hooks, in 2 rows, each have a blade, guard and handle region and possess a central amorphous pulp, a middle microfibrillar medulla with microfibrils of approximately 4 nm diameter, and a complex outer cortex in all but the proximal region of the guard and the base of the handle. In these regions additional material, of similar electron density to the medulla, but lacking the fibrillar substructure, occurs and gives the areas a lobed appearance. Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis of whole hooks demonstrated the presence of sulphur and trace quantities of phosphorus. X-ray near-edge absorption spectra resembled those of cystine, feather and hair and showed the sulphur to be predominantly in the form of disulphide linkages. X-ray diffraction patterns of whole hook preparations revealed 2 diffuse rings with equatorial spacings of 7·99 Å and 15·22 Å, thus differing from vertebrate keratins.

Keywords

Echinococcus granulosusprotoscolexultrastructurerostellar hooksmicroanalyses
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 103 , Issue 2 , October 1991 , pp. 267 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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