Permeation and Membrane Transport in Animal Parasites: On the Mechanism of Glucose Uptake by Hymenolepis diminuta

Abstract

In recent studies (Phifer, 1959, 1960), it has been demonstrated that the tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, takes up glucose against a concentration gradient by processes having characteristics which suggest coupling to energy metabolism. Observations on the effects of innate physiological factors also supported this hypothesis. Since it appears that a catalytic mechanism is involved in the movement of glucose from the medium into the worm, it seemed important to test some of the hypotheses which have been put forward to account for glucose absorption in other tissues. The present inquiry may be broken down into three categories relating to (1) the effect of addition of an energy source on glucose uptake; (2) stereospecificity of the uptake of glucose; (3) the nature of systems involved.