Mechanical integration of muscle, tegument, and subtegumental tissues by anchoring fibrils and microfibrils in the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta

• Published in: Tissue & cell Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 881 - 891
• Main Authors: Holy, Jon M., Oaks, John A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sidcup Elsevier Ltd 1987; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anchoring fibrils; Animals; basement membrane; Basement Membrane - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; Connective Tissue - ultrastructure; Epidermis - ultrastructure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hymenolepis - ultrastructure; Hymenolepis diminuta; Invertebrates; microfibrils; Microscopy, Electron; Morphology. Histology. Cytology; Muscles - ultrastructure; Nemathelminthia. Plathelmintha; tapeworm; tegument; Anchoring fibrils; tegument; basement membrane; Hymenolepis diminuta; microfibrils; tapeworm; Tegument; Rodentia; Plathelmintha; Parasite; Muscular fiber; Cestoda; Muscle contraction; Locomotion; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Transmission electron microscopy; Ultrastructure; Helmintha; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0040-8166; 1532-3072
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-8166(87)90027-9

Electron microscopic examination of the epidermal basement membrane region of the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, has revealed specialized connective tissue structures that appear to anchor the epidermis, or tegument, to the parenchymal tissues of the helminth, as well as interconnect subtegumental muscle fibers, tegument, and parenchyma. Anchoring fibrils-cross-banded bundles of ca. 3 nm diameter filaments—were observed to directly interlink tegument and muscle, muscle and muscle, and tegument, muscle, and parenchymal connective tissue. Anchoring fibrils therefore appear to mechanically integrate epidermal tissue movements in response to subtegumental muscle contraction. A well-developed stratum of microfibrils, forming the lamina reticularis of the tegumental basement membrane, may also help anchor the tegument as well as to serve as a flexible, reinforcing sheath that protects parenchymal tissues from excessive radial displacement due to muscle contraction.