Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T01:57:15.419Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The structure and permeability of the shell and vitelline membrane of the egg of Fasciola hepatica*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

R. A. Wilson
R. A. Wilson
Affiliation:
Imperial College Field Station, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berks†.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The egg shell of Fasciola was investigated by electron microscopy and found to consist of a fine reticulum of fibrils. No evidence for concentric lamellae was discovered.

The amino acids of the shell were identified using chromatography and it was suggested that the original protein was of a simple fibrous type. An unidentified spot was thought to represent a hydrolysis product of the cross-linkage. The effect of sodium hypochlorite on the shell, was also studied.

The ‘vitelline membrane’ of the fully developed egg was found to consist of a layer of peri-vitelline material beneath which were two closely opposed unit membranes. The origin of these layers was discussed.

The permeability of the shell and vitelline membrane was studied using simple physical techniques and radiotracers. The shell was found to be freely permeable to small molecules. The vitelline membrane complex was thought to represent the main barrier to permeability but an uptake of phosphate ions amounting to 8% of total phosphate, was recorded. This may have been more apparent than real as most of the activity was probably associated with egg shells rather than contents.

I would like to thank Professor O. W. Richards in whose department this work was carried out, Dr F. Call for supervision of the work and Professor B. G. Peters for his many helpful criticisms. Lastly, I am indebted to Miss M. Morris without whose expert assistance the electron microscope studies would not have been possible.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 57 , Issue 1 , February 1967 , pp. 47 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allen, R. J. L. (1940). The estimation of phosphorus. Biochem. J. 34, 858–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beament, J. W. L. (1948). The penetration of the insect egg shells. I. Penetration of the chorion of Rhodnius prolixus Stål. Bull. ent. Res. 39, 359–83.Google Scholar
Brown, C. H. (1950). Quinone tanning in the animal kingdom. Nature, Lond. 165, 275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, P. D. (1937). The germ-cell cycle in the trematode Paragonimus kellicotti Ward. Trans. Am. microsc. Soc. 56, 208–36.Google Scholar
Cramer, F. (1955). Paper Chromatography. London: Macmillan and Co. Ltd.Google Scholar
Dennell, R. (1958). The hardening of insect cuticles. Biol. Rev. 33, 178–96.Google Scholar
Finck, H. (1960). Epoxy resins in electron microscopy. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 7, 27–30.Google Scholar
Glauert, A. M. & Glauert, R. H. (1958). Araldite as an embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 4, 191–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hackman, R. H. (1953 a). Chemistry of insect cuticle. 2. The water-insoluble proteins of the cuticle of Aphodius howitti Hope (Coleoptera). Biochem. J. 54, 367–70.Google Scholar
Hackman, R. H. (1953 b). Chemistry of insect cuticle. 3. Hardening and darkening of the cuticle. Biochem. J. 54, 371–7.Google Scholar
Ishii, Y. (1934). Studies on the development of Fasciolopsis buski. Part I. Development of the eggs outside the host. J. med. Ass. Formosa 33, 349–78.Google Scholar
Kao, C. Y. (1956 a). Pressure-volume relationship of the Fundulus egg in sea water and in sucrose. J. gen. Physiol. 40, 91–105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kao, C. Y. (1956 b). Changing electrical constants of the Fundulus egg plasma membrane. J. gen. Physiol. 40, 107–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kreuzer, L. (1953). Zur Kenntnis des chemischen Aufbaus der Eihülle von Ascaris lumbricoides. I. Mitteilung. Z. vergl. Physiol. 35, 13–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luft, J. H. (1961). Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 9, 409–26.Google Scholar
Ortmann, W. (1908). Zur Embryonalentwicklung des Leberegels (Fasciola hepatica) Zool. Jb. Abt. Anat. 26, 255–92.Google Scholar
Palade, G. E. (1952). A study of fixation for electron microscopy. J. exp. Med. 95, 285–98.Google Scholar
Prosser, C. L. & Brown, F. A. (1961). Comparative Animal Physiology. London and Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders and Co.Google Scholar
Rao, K. H. (1959). Observations on the Mehlis’ gland complex in the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica. J. Parasit. 45, 347–51.Google Scholar
Rees, G. (1940). Studies on the germ cell cycle of the digenetic trematode Parorchis acanthus Nicoll. Part II. Structure of the miracidium and germinal development in the larval stages. Parasitology 32, 372–91.Google Scholar
Rowan, W. B. (1956). The mode of hatching of the egg of Fasciola hepatica. Expl Parasit. 5, 118–37.Google Scholar
Rowan, W. B. (1962). Permeability of the egg shell of Fasciola hepatica. J. Parasit. 48, 499.Google Scholar
Schubmann, W. (1905). Über die Eibildung und Embryonal-entwicklung von Fasciola hepatica L. Zool. Jb. Abt. Anat. 21, 571–606.Google Scholar
Smith, I. (1960). Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Techniques. Vol. i. Chromatography. London: Heinemann Ltd.Google Scholar
Smith, S. (1957). In Physiology of Fishes. Vol. i. Metabolism. New York and London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Smyth, J. D. & Clegg, J. A. (1959). Egg-shell formation in trematodes and cestodes. Expl Parasit. 8, 286–323.Google Scholar
Stephenson, W. (1947). Physiological and histochemical observations on the adult liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica L. iii. Egg-shell formation. Parasitology 38, 128–39.Google Scholar