Volume 49/Number 1/Abstract 03
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Acta Parasitologica, Vol.49, No. 1, 2004, 16-24
Zdzislaw Swiderski(1,2)*, Magdalena Brunanska(3,4), Larisa G. Poddubnaya(5) and John S. Mackiewicz(6) - Cytochemical and ultrastructural study on vitellogenesis in caryophyllidean cestode Khawia armeniaca (Cholodkovski, 1915)
(1)W. Stefanski Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda Street 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; (2)Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Warsaw Medical University, Chalubinskiego Street 5, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland; (3)Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; (4)Parasitological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic; (5)Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl Oblast 152742, Russia; (6)Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, New York 12222, USA
*Corresponding author: z.swider@twarda.pan.pl
ABSTRACT

Vitellogenesis in Khawia armeniaca was examined by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cytochemical staining with periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate (PA-TSC-SP) for specific detection of glycogen at the ultrastructural level. Mature vitelline follicles consist of cells in various stages of development, progressing from immature cells of gonial type near the periphery to mature vitellocytes towards the centre. Maturation of vitelline cells is characterized by: (1) increase in cell volume; (2) increase in nuclear surface area restoring the N/C ratio; (3) nucleolar transformation; (4) extensive development of large parallel cisternae of GER, the shell-protein producing units; (5) development of Golgi complexes engaged in shell-granule/shell-globule vitelline material formation and package; (6) formation and storage of glycogen in the cytoplasm; (7) simultaneous, independent formation and storage of intranuclear glycogen; (8) continuous fusion of small shell-granulesinto larger shell-globules that fuse into large shell-globule clusters with a progressive increase in the number and size of the latter; and (9) degeneration of GER in the medial layer of vitellocyte cytoplasm with degenerative changes and accumulation of glycogen and shell-globule clusters within the cytoplasm, associated with a massive accumulation of glycogen in the nucleus. The functional significance of the large amount of nuclear and cytoplasmic glycogen and numerous shell-globule clusters is analysed. The ultrastructural aspect of vitellogenesis is compared with that in other monozoic and polyzoic cestodes. Conclusions concerning the interrelationships of vitellogenesis patterns and ultrastructural cytochemistry of mature vitellocytes to the various types of embryogenesis, are drawn and discussed.


KEY WORDS: Khawia armeniaca, Caryophyllidea, vitellogenesis, cytochemistry, ultrastructure, intranuclear glycogen

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