Acta Parasitologica, Vol. 50, No. 4, 2005, 305-311 Zdzislaw Swiderski(1,2)*, Daniel Mlocicki(1), Catarina Eira(3), Jordi Miquel(3),
Barbara Grytner-Ziecina(2) and John S. Mackiewicz(4) - Vitellogenesis in Mosgovoyia ctenoides (Railliet, 1890) Beveridge, 1978 (Cyclophyllidea, Anoplocephalidae)
(1)W. Stefanski Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 51/55 Twarda Street, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; (2)Department of General Biology and Parasitology, University of Medical Sciences, 5 Chalubinskiego Street, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland; (3)Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n,
E-08028 Barcelona, Spain; (4)Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, New York 12222, U.S.A.
*Corresponding author: z.swider@twarda.pan.pl
ABSTRACT
Vitellogenesis in Mosgovoyia ctenoides was examined by means of transmission electron microscopy. 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 is characterized by: (1) increase in cell volume; (2) extensive development of large parallel cisternae of granular endoplasmic reticulum (GER), the vitelline material producing units; (3) development of Golgi complexes engaged in vitelline material package; (4) continuous fusion of small vesicles into larger vitelline vesicles and fusion of these into a single very large vesicle, which is characteristic for mature vitellocytes of this tapeworm. Vitellogenesis in M. ctenoides is compared with that in other cestodes. Some conclusions concerning the interrelationship between the vitellogenesis pattern and the type of embryogenesis are drawn and discussed.
KEY WORDS: Mosgovoyia ctenoides, Cestoda, Anoplocephalidae, vitellogenesis, vitellocyte ultrastructure