Use of confocal microscopy for study of the muscle system Eudiplozoon nipponicum (Monogenea: Diplozoidae)
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2002 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Helminthologia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Description | Using whole-mount preparations of E. nipponicum from the gills of carp, confocal images are presented of the muscle system of the diporpae, juvenile and adult stages, following staining by FITC and TRITC-labelled phalloidin as a specific probe for F-actin. As expected body wall musculatur of all stages comprises outer circular, intermediate longitudinal, inner diagonal and dorsoventral muscle fibres. The muscle systems of the diporpa and juvenile stages are dominated by well-developed somatic fibres, together with buccal suckers, haptoral clamps and a transient ventral sucker. Diagonal fibres dominate the body wall of diporpa and bundles of longitudinal muscle run from forebody to the haptor. Muscle system help provide body contact, twisting and fusion during developmental pairing of two individuals. The buccal suckers, glandulo-muscular organs and pharynx are dominant muscle structures of the forebody of the adults. The buccal suckers are mainly formed by radial filaments. There is evidence, that glandulo-muscular organs are paired basket-like reservoirs delimited by muscle wall. Presumbly a role of these organs is accumulation of the secretins. Pharynx was the only organ of alimentary tract visible via phalloidin staining. On the ventral side of the anterior end above the mouth, there is the area with regularly arranged circular structures. The structures are probably muscular parts of the sense organs. Circular fibres dominante the duct walls of the reproductive system of the adults including those of the egg-forming apparatus (ootype). Diagonal fibres are absent. Posteriorly, four pair of haptoral clamps secure the worm to the gill. Bundles of muscles insert into each clamp nad their contraction draws the sclerite-supported jaws together reflecting their importance in securing attachment of this parasite of fishe gills. |
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