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A freeze-fracture study of the cuticle of adult Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nematoda)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. L. Lee ,
K. A. Wright  and
R. R. Shivers
D. L. Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
K. A. Wright
Affiliation:
(Deceased) Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
R. R. Shivers
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
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Summary

The surface of the cuticle of adult Nippostrongylus brasiliensis has been studied by means of the freeze-fracture technique and by transmission electron microscopy. Some of the surface coat appears to have been shed from the surface of the cuticle of adults fixed in situ in the intestine of its host and from the surface of individuals removed from the intestine and freeze-fractured. Freeze-fracturing the cuticle of individuals removed from the host has shown that this surface coat varies in thickness from 30 to 90 nm. The epicuticle is about 20 nm thick and cleaves readily to expose E- and P-faces. The P-face of the epicuticle possesses a small number of particles, similar to intra-membranous particles, whilst the E-face possesses a few, widely scattered depressions. Despite the presence of these particles the epicuticle is not considered to be a true membrane. Freeze-fracturing the remainder of the cuticle has confirmed its structure as described by conventional transmission electron microscopy. Clusters of particles on the P-face of the outer epidermal (hypodermal) membrane and corresponding depressions on the E-face of the membrane are thought to be associated with points of attachment of the cuticle to the epidermis (hypodermis). No differences in appearance of the cuticle and its surface layers were observed in individuals taken from 7-, 10-, 13- and 15-day infections.

Keywords

cuticleepicuticlefreeze-fractureintra-membranous particlesnematodeNippostrongylus brasiliensissurface coat
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 107 , Issue 5 , December 1993 , pp. 545 - 552
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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