Functional ultrastructure and cytochemistry of vitellogenesis and mature vitellocytes of the digenean Cainocreadium labracis (Dujardin, 1845), parasite of Dicentrarchus labrax (L., 1758)

Form and Function in the Digenea, with an Emphasis on Host-Parasite and Parasite-Bacteria Interactions

This review covers the general aspects of the anatomy and physiology of the major body systems in digenetic trematodes, with an emphasis on new knowledge of the area acquired since the publication of the second edition of this book in 2019. In addition to reporting on key recent advances in the morphology and physiology of tegumentary, sensory, neuromuscular, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems, and their roles in host-parasite interactions, this edition includes a section discussing the known and putative roles of bacteria in digenean biology and physiology. Furthermore, a brief discussion of current trends in the development of novel treatment and control strategies based on a better understanding of the trematode body systems and associated bacteria is provided.

The unusual cytoarchitecture of "vitelline follicles" in freshwater blood flukes of the genus Sanguinicola (Digenea, Aporocotylidae)

This is the first study assessing the cytoarchitecture of the vitellarium of members of the freshwater, teleost-infecting lineage of blood-flukes (Aporocotylidae). The vitelline cytoarchitecture of two innominate species of Sanguinicola from freshwater fishes in Russia showed that vitelline cells at different stages of maturation are widely distributed throughout much of the body and are mixed with other cell types. The latter feature indicates that use of the term "follicular vitellarium" is inappropriate for species of this genus. An additional characteristic of the vitelline cells in these Sanguinicola spp. is their ability to form long, pseudopodia-like extensions of the peripheral cytoplasm that contact neighbouring vitelline cells and sarcoplasmic extensions, forming both heterologous and homologous intercellular junctions. Within the vitelline duct lumen, the cytoplasm of mature vitelline cells is filled with regular clusters (0.5-1.0 μm in diameter), comprising 10-30 vitelline globules, which have heterogeneous contents and electron-lucent lipid droplets (1.1-1.7 μm in diameter), but no apparent modifications of vitelline globules occur within the vitelline duct. The flattened, ciliated, epithelial lining of the common vitelline duct contains intra-epithelial nuclei, its luminal surface bears shallow lamellae and adjacent cells are adjoined by apical septate junctions. All of these observations, when compared to the marine Aporocotyle simplex, likely represent additional characteristics supporting the divergent evolutionary lineages of marine and freshwater aporocotylids.

Reduction of autofluorescence in whole adult worms of Schistosoma japonicum for immunofluorescence assay

Immunofluorescence assay is one of methods to understand the spatial biology by visualizing localization of biomolecules in cells and tissues. Autofluorescence, as a common phenomenon in organisms, is a background signal interfering the immunolocalization assay of schistosome biomolecules, and may lead to misinterpretation of the biomolecular function. However, applicable method for reducing the autofluorescence in Schistosoma remains unclear. In order to find a suitable method for reducing autofluorescence of schistosomes, different chemical reagents, such as Sudan black B (SBB), trypan blue (TB), copper sulfate (CuSO₄), Tris-glycine (Gly), and ammonia/ethanol (AE), at different concentrations and treatment time were tested, and SBB and CuSO₄ were verified for the effect of blocking autofluorescence in immunofluorescence to localize the target with anti-SjCRT antibody. By comparing the autofluorescence characteristics of different conditions, it was found that SBB, TB and CuSO₄ had a certain degree of reducing autofluorescence effect, and the best effect in females was using 50 mM CuSO₄ for 6 h and in males was 0.5% SBB for 6 h. Furthermore, we have applied the optimized conditions to the immunofluorescence of SjCRT protein, and the results revealed that the immunofluorescence signal of SjCRT was clearly visible without autofluorescence interference. We present an effective method to reduce autofluorescence in male and female worm of Schistosoma japonicum for immunofluorescence assay, which could be helpful to better understand biomolecular functions. Our method provides an idea for immunofluorescence assay in other flukes with autofluoresence.

Comparison of the Benzanthrone Luminophores: They Are Not Equal for Rapid Examination of Parafasciolopsis fasciolaemorpha (Trematoda: Digenea)

Luminescent derivatives of benzanthrone are becoming more useful based on their light-absorbing and fluorescent-emitting properties. Our previous studies showed that luminescent staining properties of the same benzanthrone dye differ for variable parasite samples. Therefore, two types of benzanthrone dyes were prepared. One has a strongly basic amidine group and a halogen atom, and the other has an amide moiety and a tertiary amine group. Trematoda Parafasciolopsis fasciolaemorpha is a liver fluke of a moose (Alces alces) and has a significant influence on the health and abundance of the moose population. Staining protocols for parasite P. fasciolaemorpha specific organ or organ systems imaging are mostly time-consuming and labor-intensive. The study aimed to compare the fixation technique and the staining protocol by synthesized benzanthrone luminescent dyes to determine detailed morphology, anatomical arrangement of the organ systems and gross organization of the muscle layers of P. fasciolaemorpha using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Luminophores were tested for samples fixed in different fixatives. Developed dyes and staining protocol resulting in imaging of all parts of trematode without additional sample preparation procedures, which usually are required for parasite examination. Obtained results confirmed that the most qualitative results could be reached using 3-N-(2-piperidinylacetamido)benzanthrone dye which has amide moiety and a tertiary amine group. Based on obtained results, 3-N-(2-piperidinylacetamido)benzanthrone gave more qualitative parasite visualization than 2-bromo-3-N-(N′,N′-dimethylformamidino)benzanthrone.

Interrelationships of vitelline and muscle cells within the vitelline follicles of the blood fluke Aporocotyle simplex (Digenea, Aporocotylidae) and morphological evidence for the modification of vitelline material for eggshell formation

This study of the fish blood fluke Aporocotyle simplex represents the first detailed transmission electron microscopical (TEM) investigation of the vitellarium of an aporocotylid digenean blood fluke. It revealed some unusual characteristics in the cytoarchitecture of the vitelline follicles and demonstrated modifications of the vitelline granules for eggshell formation. The vitelline follicles consist of vitellocytes at different developmental stages surrounded by sarcoplasmic processes of myocytes which occur throughout each follicle. Sites of intimate contact occur between the vitellocytes and the myocytes. Individual vitelline globules (0.1-0.2 μm in diameter) accumulate in quite small clusters of 10-20 and have a dense, heterogeneous matrix possessing central and peripheral regions with a greater density. Modifications of the vitelline globules take place within the clusters and are first apparent when the vitellocytes reach the lumen of the vitelline duct and vitelline reservoir. Globules within the clusters become confluent, and, when the vitellocytes reach the lumen of the oviduct and proximal ootype, these consolidated clusters contain a shapeless, loosely packed, dense material which is released from the vitellocytes by exocytosis. This investigation has provided morphological evidence for shell formation from modified vitelline globules in the form of a discontinuous, thin layer (~ 0.07 μm in thickness) of electron-dense shell material around the fertilized ovum and associated vitellocytes in the proximal ootype. The eggshell of intra-uterine eggs acquires an additional thin, heterogeneous outer layer, increasing its thickness to ~ 0.1 μm. The cytoarchitecture of the vitellarium, modifications of the vitelline globules within the clusters and the structure of the eggshell of A. simplex may prove to be of value in studies examining relationships between the three distinct lineages of aporocotylid digeneans.