The cuticle of adult<i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i>

Abstract

The cuticle of adults of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis has been described using histological, histochemical and ultrastructural techniques. The cuticle has the following layers: an outer triple-layered membrane; a single cortical layer; a fluid-filled layer which is traversed by numerous collagen fibrils; struts which support the fourteen longitudinal ridges of the cuticle and which are suspended by collagen fibrils in the fluid-filled layer; two fibre layers, each layer apparently containing three layers of fibres; and a basement lamella. The fluid-filled layer contains haemoglobin and esterase. The muscles of the body wall are attached to either the basement lamella or to the fibre layers of the cuticle. The mitochondria of the hypodermis are of normal appearance. The longitudinal ridges of the cuticle appear to abrade the microvilli of the intestinal cells of the host. Possible functions of the cuticle are discussed. I wish to thank Dr P. Tate, in whose department this work was done, for helpful suggestions and criticism at all stages of this work, and Mr A. Page for technical assistance. I also wish to thank Professor Boyd for permission to use the electron microscope in the Department of Anatomy.