The female gonad of the epizoic platyhelminth Troglocaridicola sp. (Rhabdocoela, Temnocephalida, Scutariellidae): ultrastructural and cytochemical investigations

Ultrastructure of the ovary of Amphilina japonica Goto & Ishii, 1936 (Cestoda) and its implications for phylogenetic studies

The ultrastructure of the ovary of the amphilinidean cestode Amphilina japonica Goto & Ishii, 1936 from the body-cavity of the American sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus Richardson is described using transmission electron microscopy. The characters of the ovary of Amphilina japonica are different from those of all other cestodes. The most important difference is in the nature of the relationship between the germ and accessory cells within the ovary. In A. japonica the oocytes and accessory cells form numerous different intercellular contacts (desmosome-like junctions and zonulae adherentes). Gap junctions are present between the narrow cytoplasmic processes of the accessory cells. Numerous micropinocytotic vesicles and vacuoles from the accessory cells discharge their content into spaces between the oocytes and the accessory cells. The accessory cells are closely associated with the oocytes during the early and middle stages of oogenesis. As the volume of oocytes increases, the accessory cells gradually lose their association with the oocyte surfaces. Peripherally located individual accessory cells of A. japonica give rise to a cellular epithelial layer of irregular shape and thickness which breaks down via numerous invaginations of the basal membrane and underlying basal matrix. The different arrangements of the interconnection of cell components in the Amphilinidea compared with the Gyrocotylidea and Eucestoda (the absence of specialised cell contacts and the syncytial nature of the accessory 'interstitial' cells) are evidence suggesting the presence of unrelated groups within the Cestoda. The nature of the association of the accessory and germ cells in ovary of A. japonica more closely resembles the ovary of non-platyhelminth invertebrates rather than that of other neodermatans.

The female gonad in two species of Microplana (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Rhynchodemidae): ultrastructural and cytochemical investigations

The female gonad of the land planarians Microplana scharffi and Microplana terrestris consists of two small germaria located ventrally in the anterior third of the body and of two ventro-lateral rows of oblong vitelline follicles distributed between the intestinal pouches. Both these structures are enveloped by a tunica composed of an outer extracellular lamina and an inner sheath of accessory cells. Oocyte maturation is characterized by the appearance of chromatoid bodies and the development of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes. These organelles appear to be correlated with the production of egg granules with a fenestrated/granular content of medium electron density, about 4-5 mum in diameter, which remain dispersed in the ooplasm of mature oocytes. On the basis of cytochemical tests showing their glycoprotein composition, and their localization in mature oocytes, these egg granules have been interpreted as yolk. In the vitelline follicles, vitellocytes show the typical features of secretory cells with well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes involved in the production of eggshell globules and yolk. The eggshell globules, which appear to arise from repeated coalescences of two types of Golgi-derived vesicles, contain polyphenols and, when completely mature, they measure about 1-1,2 mum in diameter and show a meandering/concentric content pattern as is typical of the situation observed in most Proseriata and Tricladida. Mature vitellocytes also contain a large amount of glycogen and lipids as further reserve material. On the basis of the ultrastructural features of the female gonad and in relation to the current literature the two species of rhynchodemids investigated appear to be closely related to the freshwater planarians belonging to the family Dugesiidae.

Ultrastructural and cytochemical aspects of the female gonad ofGeoplana burmeisteri (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Terricola)

The ultrastructure of the female gonad of the land planarian Geoplana burmeisteri was investigated by means of electron microscopy and cytochemical techniques. It consists of two small germaria located ventral to the intestine and of two irregular, lateral rows of vitelline follicles, both enveloped by a tunica composed of an extracellular lamina and an inner sheath of accessory cells. Accessory cell projections completely surround developing oocytes and vitellocytes. The main feature of oocyte maturation is the appearance of chromatoid bodies and the development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi complexes. These organelles appear to be correlated with the production of egg inclusions of medium electron density, about 1.5-1.8 microm in diameter, which remain scattered in the ooplasm of mature oocytes. On the basis of cytochemical tests demonstrating their glycoprotein composition, these inclusions were interpreted as residual yolk globules. Vitellocytes are typical secretory cells with well-developed RER and Golgi complexes that are mainly involved in the production of yolk globules and eggshell globules, respectively. Eggshell globules appear to arise from repeated coalescence of small Golgi-derived vesicles and, at an intermediate stage of maturation, show a multigranular pattern. Later, after vesicle fusion, they reach a diameter of 1.3-1.6 microm when completely mature and show a meandering/concentric pattern, as is typical of the situation seen in most Proseriata and Tricladida. The content of yolk globules is completely digested by pronase, while the content of eggshell globules is unaffected. Mature vitellocytes contain, in addition, a large quantity of glycogen and lipid droplets as further reserve material. On the basis of the ultrastructural characteristics of the female gonad described above and in relation to the current literature, we conclude that G. burmeisteri appears to be more closely related to the freshwater triclads, in particular to members of the Dugesiidae, than to the marine triclads.