Occurrence of cholinesterase and ciliated sensory structures in a fish gill-fluke, Diclidophora merlangi (Trematoda: Monogenea) (original) (raw)
Summary
Cholinesterase has been demonstrated histochemically in the nervous system of adult Diclidophora merlangi. Reactivity for the enzyme was strongest in the cerebral ganglia and commissure, main ventral nerve cords, and nerve plexuses of the suckers, pharynx and cirrus organ. Cholinergic components were found both in motor fibres innervating muscular tissue and in subtegumental nerve plexuses whose free endings may have a sensory function. A number of such endings were found in the tegument. Electron microscopic examination of the tegument revealed a sensory structure composed of a cilium which extends beyond the tegumental surface from a structure resembling a nerve terminal. The sensory structures occur singly and are believed to have a tactile function.
Zusammenfassung
Cholinesterase konnte histochemisch im Nervensystem adulter Würmer der Art Diclidophora merlangi nachgewiesen werden. Die stärksten Reaktionen zeigten die Cerebralganglien und Commissuren, vorwiegend im ventralen Nervenhauptstrang und im Nervenplexus der Saugnäpfe, des Pharynx und des Cirrus. Cholinergische Komponenten wurden sowohl in den motorischen Nervenfasern der Muskulatur wie im subtegumentalen Nervenplexus nachgewiesen, dessen freie Nervenenden sensorische Funktionen haben dürften. Eine Anzahl solcher Nervenendungen wurden im Tegument gefunden.
Die elektronenmikroskopischen Untersuchungen des Teguments deckte eine Struktur auf, die mit einem Cilium besetzt ist, das über die integumentale Oberfläche hinaus geht und der Struktur einer Nervenendung ähnlich ist. Die sensorischen Strukturen treten einzeln auf und haben vermutlich taktile Funktionen.
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Author notes
- G. P. Morris
Present address: Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Zoology, The Queen's University, BT7 1 NN, Belfast, Northern Ireland UK
D. W. Halton & G. P. Morris
Authors
- D. W. Halton
- G. P. Morris
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Halton, D.W., Morris, G.P. Occurrence of cholinesterase and ciliated sensory structures in a fish gill-fluke, Diclidophora merlangi (Trematoda: Monogenea).Z. F. Parasitenkunde 33, 21–30 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00259567
- Received: 25 April 1969
- Issue date: March 1969
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00259567