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PubMed1996

Pharmacokinetics and renal metabolism of atrial natriuretic factor during rat pregnancy.

The present studies were done to determine if the attenuation of the natriuretic and diuretic effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) during rat pregnancy was caused by an increase in its metabolism. It was found that the plasma half-life (min), plasma clearance (ml.kg-1.min-1), and volume of distribution (ml/kg) of ANF were, respectively, 2.5 +/- 4, 115 +/- 19, and 371 +/- 44 in pentobarbital-anesthetized virgin rats (n = 6) and not different from the corresponding values of 3.1 +/- 0.5, 124 +/- 26, and 526 +/- 120 in 20-day gravid animals (n = 6). Rates of metabolism of ANF (pmol.min-1.microgram protein-1) by renal cortical membranes from virgin (n = 5) and gravid (n = 5) rats were, respectively, 45 +/- 0.6 and 45 +/- 0.5; likewise, cortical membrane neutral endopeptidase activities in virgin and 20-day gravid rats (n = 7) did not differ. It is concluded that the attenuation of the renal effects of ANF during pregnancy is not caused by changes in its systemic or renal metabolism but might be due to a decrease in guanylate cyclase-linked renal ANF receptors and/or receptor-mediated effects.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Kidney function and sodium handling in the pregnant spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Effects of gestation on volume homeostasis and renal function were studied in awake spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Systolic blood pressure was similar to that of virgin littermates during most of SHR pregnancy but decreased near term (p less than 0.005). Plasma renin activity was lower in SHR than in age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (p less than 0.001), but values were similar in gravid and nonpregnant animals from each strain. Renal renin content and lipid volume fractions of papillary interstitial granules were significantly greater in pregnant animal of each strain and those of the gravid WKY were also greater than both pregnant and virgin SHR. Saralasin had no effect on mean arterial pressure in gravid and virgin rats from either group. Plasma volume increased significantly near term in animals of both strains. Kidney weight, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and renal blood flow were lower in SHR compared to WKY, and the hypertensive rats failed to demonstrate an increase in GFR during gestation, unlike the WKY. All SHR and pregnant WKY excreted infused sodium better than the virgin WKY. Also, regular Wistar animals excreted a salt load better than the virgin WKY. Finally, uterine blood flow, pup number and conceptus weight were similar in SHR and WKY. We conclude that pregnancy induces a decrease in blood pressure in SHR, and that angiotensin II does not seem to play an important role in maintaining blood pressure during gestation in either SHR or WKY. Despite a lower GFR and its failure to increase during pregnancy, renal sodium handling is not impaired in the SHR. The virgin WKY has a decreased ability to excrete sodium which is ameliorated during gestation.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Prostaglandins maintain renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration during chronic nitric oxide synthase blockade in conscious pregnant rats.

Rats demonstrate renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration in pregnancy. Because both NO and cGMP biosynthesis are increased in gravid rats and because acute administration of NO synthase inhibitors abrogates renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration, NO most likely mediates the renal circulatory changes of gestation. In the present study, we tested the effect of chronic inhibition of NO synthase on effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in chronically instrumented, conscious, gravid rats. Because gestation is a relatively long-term condition, we postulated that chronic withdrawal of NO would result in sustained inhibition of renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration. Contrary to our hypothesis, the renal circulatory changes of pregnancy were maintained during chronic blockade of NO synthase. That is, subcutaneous administration of 10 micrograms/min N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (NAME) for 48 hours did not significantly reduce GFR in either virgin or pregnant rats; thus, hyperfiltration persisted in the latter despite chronic NO synthase blockade. In contrast, ERPF was reduced and effective renal vascular resistance (ERVR) increased in both groups of rats during NAME administration but in a parallel fashion, such that renal vasodilation persisted in the gravid animals despite chronic inhibition of NO synthase. However, with superimposition of acute prostaglandin synthesis inhibition (meclofenamate, 10 mg/kg IV), renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration were abolished; ie, the combined treatments of chronic NO synthase blockade and acute prostaglandin synthesis inhibition led to the equalization of GFR, ERPF, and ERVR in conscious virgin and pregnant rats. Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis alone had little affect on the renal circulation, as previously reported. In summary, prostaglandins are recruited to maintain renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration during chronic NO synthase blockade in conscious pregnant rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The internal milieu of the pregnant rat is not growth promoting for maternal tissues and it reduces growth of fetal paw transplants.

We have investigated whether the internal milieu of the pregnant female rat is growth promoting to fetal or adult tissues. Adult female littermates were divided into two groups, one of which remained virginal while the other was bred repeatedly. Four successive pregnancies did not affect skeletal growth (i.e. tail length increase) or BW gain. Three-month-old females were hypophysectomized (HX) or sham HX on day 13 of pregnancy. Age-matched virgins were treated similarly. Eight days after surgery, the width of the tibial epiphysial plate of the HX virgins had decreased from 146.2 +/- 5.6 mu to 98.4 +/- 2.5 mu. In the pregnant rats, the width of the plate in the shams was reduced to 120.8 +/- 7.6 mu, and hypophysectomy tended to further reduce its width to 103.2 +/- 8.4 mu. Paws from 14- to 15-day fetal rats were transplanted under the kidney capsule of adult nonpregnant or pregnant hosts and grown there for 6 or 11 days. In the nonpregnant hosts the paws grew substantially during both periods, but in gravid females their growth was inhibited by about 35%. Paws were also transplanted to the kidney of HX pregnant and HX nonpregnant females to determine whether the internal milieu of the gravid female retains more growth-promoting/growth-supporting activity after pituitary removal than does that of HX virgin hosts. In both types of HX hosts, transplant growth was inhibited to the same degree (65-70%) relative to growth in intact hosts. The growth-inhibiting properties of the internal environment of the gravid hosts were not due to ovarian steroids because injections of estradiol plus progesterone had no effect on transplant growth. We also tested the effects of placental transplants and placental extracts on the growth of transplanted paws in juvenile female hosts. Both placental treatments caused inhibition of transplant growth by 25-30%. Overall, our results indicate that the internal milieu of the pregnant rat is not somatotrophic for her tissues, and it actually suppresses growth of fetal tissue transplants. The placenta may be responsible for this growth-inhibitory effect.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Two new species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) parasitic in the perciform fish Cynoscion nebulosus (Sciaenidae) in the estuaries of South Carolina, USA.

Two new nematode species of Philometra Costa, 1845, P. carolinensis sp. n. and P. cynoscionis sp. n., are described from the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier) (Sciaenidae, Perciformes) in estuaries on the Atlantic coast of South Carolina, USA. Philometra carolinensis (males and gravid and subgravid females) parasitic in the host's ovary is most similar to P. lateolabracis (Yamaguti, 1935) in female morphology, but distinctly differs from it in possessing conspicuously short spicules (81-87 microm long) with heavily sclerotized distal parts, the gubernaculum bearing a reflected dorsal barb, and in the length ratio of the gubernaculum and spicules (1:1.23-1.42) in the male. Philometra cynoscionis (only gravid females) found subcutaneously in the host's tissue (lateral to the ascending process of the premaxilla and also posteromedial to the length of each maxilla) is characterized mainly by the presence of cephalic papillae arranged in two circles (8 large papillae in outer circle and 6 small papillae in inner circle), the absence of caudal projections, the body size (length of gravid female 20-33 mm) and the location in the host.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

[Normal prenatal growth of the golden hamster (author's transl)].

In the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) the gestation period and the loculus size of the gravid uterus from day 6 to day 15.5 (parturition) of gestation as well as the weight, width (umbilcus-black) and lenght (crown-rump) of the embryos from day 9 to the parturition were measured. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The gestation period of the golden hamster was 15 days and 15 +/- 3 hours post coitum. 2. The average values of the length (in the direction of uterine long axis) and width (mesome-trial-antimesometrial axis) in the loculus of the gravid uterus were 0.39 cm and 0.56 cm at 6 days, and 2.42 cm and 1.74 cm at 15.5 days (partiurition), respectively. 3. The average values of the crown-rump measurements, width (umblicus-back) and weight in the hamster embryos were 0.42 cm, 0.24 cm and 0.026 g at 9 days, and 2.40 cm, 1.39 cm and 2.272 g at 15.5 days (parturition), respectively. 4. The loculus size of the gravid uterus, the crown-rump measurements and width (umblicus-back) of the embryos in the period from day 13 to day 14 of gestation were markedly increased in comparison with any other period, and the weight increase of the embryos occurred rapidly from day 13 of gestation. 5. The shape of the loculus during the gestation was ovoid (mesometrial-antimesometrial axis) until the end of 10 days converged to the spherical form and thereafter changed gradually to the ovoid from in the direction of uterine long axis contraly to the previous days.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Prevalence and distribution of Ochlerotatus japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) in two counties in southern New York State.

The seasonal occurrence and abundance of a newly introduced mosquito in the United States, Ochlerotatus (Finlaya) japonicus (Theobald), are reported for Westchester and Putnam Counties in southern New York State. Adult mosquitoes were sampled at 39 sites distributed throughout the two counties. CDC (Centers forDisease Control and Prevention) light traps (2,107 trap nights) and gravid traps (1,813 trap nights) were used to collect a total of 44,428 mosquitoes from May through October 2000. Oc. japonicus was found at 97.4% of sites sampled and accounted for 9.8% of all specimens collected. Oc. japonicus was recovered from 1.5% (n = 326) of the light trap collections and 18.1% (n = 4,026) of the gravid trap collections. Although gravid traps collected significantly more specimens than light traps, the seasonal activity patterns measured by each trap type were congruent. In all, 30 mosquito species were collected. Unlike other Ochlerotatus or Aedes species, Oc. japonicus was collected throughout the study, indicating a broad seasonal activity period. There was significant regional variation in Oc. japonicus abundance, with higher trap densities occurring in the northern-most trapping sites. This study demonstrates that Oc. Japonicus is established in southern New York State.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Morphologic and cytochemical characteristics of blood cells and hematologic and plasma biochemical reference ranges in green iguanas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine blood cell morphologic characteristics and hematologic and plasma biochemical reference ranges for iguanas housed in a warm indoor and outdoor environment with regular exposure to direct sunlight. DESIGN: Original study. ANIMALS: 51 clinically normal iguanas (18 males, 25 females, and 8 juveniles) housed in 3 Florida locations. PROCEDURE: Blood was collected from the coccygeal or ventral abdominal vein. Any samples that had obvious hemolysis or clot formation were not used. Leukocyte counts were determined manually; other hematologic values were obtained by use of a commercially available cell counter. Plasma biochemical values were determined by use of a spectrophotometric chemistry analyzer. Blood smears were stained with Wright-Giemsa and cytochemical stains for morphologic and cytochemical evaluation. RESULTS: Hematologic ranges were generally higher in this study than previously reported. Thrombocytes were variable in appearance between individuals and sometimes difficult to distinguish from lymphocytes on a Wright-Giemsa preparation. Concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, total protein, globulins, and cholesterol were significantly higher, and the albumin:globulin ratio was significantly lower, in healthy gravid females than in male or nongravid female iguanas. Nongravid females had significantly higher calcium and cholesterol concentrations, compared with males. The calcium:phosphorus ratio was > 1 in all iguanas. Gravid females had a calcium phosphorus product ranging between 210 and 800. Intracytoplasmic inclusions were identified within the erythrocytes of some iguanas. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Hematologic ranges for iguanas in this study are higher than those reported for iguanas. Sex and age of the iguana should be considered when evaluating biochemical values. Healthy ovulating and gravid females may have significantly increased electrolyte and protein concentrations, but maintain a calcium:phosphorus ratio > 1.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Effect of dietary gestation and lactation protein levels on reproductive performance and body composition of first-litter female swine.

A 2 X 3 factorial split-plot experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary protein on the performance and calculated body compositions of 45 first-litter sows using the D2O dilution technique at various reproductive stages. Animals were initially fed 1.82 kg daily of a 14% protein diet to 14 d post-coitum. Subsequently, two gestation protein levels (5 or 14%) were daily fed at 1.82 kg from 15 d postcoitum to parturition with three dietary lactation protein levels (5, 14 or 23%) fed from parturition to 28 d postpartum. Maternal body compositions were determined at 17, 35, 70, 85 and 105 d postcoitum and 7, 14 and 28 d postpartum using prediction equations reported previously. Gravid sows demonstrated higher maternal tissue accretion of all body chemical components from 14 to 70 d than from 70 to 105 d postcoitum. Sows fed the 5% protein gestation diet had more maternal fat but less protein accretion than those fed the 14% protein at each measurement interval. During the last trimester, those sows fed the 5% protein diet catabolized body protein reserves. Gravid sows fed the 14% protein gestation diet catabolized more maternal protein and water between 105 d postcoitum and 7 d postpartum than those fed the 5% protein diet. Litter and pig birth weights were lower and postpartum mortality higher for sows fed the 5% rather than the 14% protein gestation diet. Sows fed the 5% protein lactation diet mobilized more maternal tissue, particularly fat, between 7 and 28 d postpartum than those fed 14 or 23% protein lactation diets. These results suggest that labile maternal body protein reserves are used by gravid and nursing dams to fulfill reproductive needs and that dietary protein sequence affects the dam's performance and body composition.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Factors associated with shortened estrous cycles after abortion in beef heifers.

Forty-six crossbred Hereford heifers were allotted into five experimental groups. Fenprotalene, a prostaglandin analogue, was administered to induce abortion and (or) to regress the corpus luteum (CL) in four groups of heifers about 75 d after conception. The four groups were 1) pregnant heifers, 2) pregnant heifers with the ovary contralateral to the gravid uterine horn removed 24 h after fenprostalene injection, 3) same as Group 2 but with the ipsilateral, rather than the contralateral, ovary removed and 4) heifers with uterus removed (ovaries intact) about 35 d after conception. A fifth group of nonpregnant heifers received implants containing norgestomet from 10 to 76 d after estrus and were given fenprostalene 24 h before removal of the implant. Average length of the first estrous cycle after the fenprostalene injection was 11.2, 8.3, 9.7 and 19.1 for Groups 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively. Estrous cycles were longer (P less than .05) in norgestomet-treated heifers. Hysterectomized heifers (Group 4) did not exhibit a second estrus by 50 d after fenprostalene treatment; otherwise, all first estrous cycles after the fenprostalene injection were either "short" (7 to 13 d) or "normal" (17 to 23 d). Twenty-two of 24 heifers that aborted had short estrous cycles and two had normal estrous cycles. Short estrous cycles occurred after abortion regardless of whether the ovary ipsilateral or contralateral to the previously gravid uterine horn ovulated. Early regression of the CL (short luteal phase) did not occur in nonpregnant heifers after long-term progestogen stimulation or after hysterectomy, but it did occur in heifers with a previously gravid uterus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abortifacient Agents↗
PubMed1988

Influence of pig embryos on uterine growth.

The influence of embryos on growth of the uterus was determined by comparing uterine length, weight and diameter between gravid and nongravid horns within unilaterally pregnant gilts. Eighty-two prepubertal gilts were ovariectomized unilaterally at 5 mo of age, and the ipsilateral uterine horn was ligated near the junction of the uterine horns. Gilts were mated and were assigned randomly for examination on either d 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 or 27 of gestation. Absolute differences and ratios in length, weight and diameter between gravid and nongravid horns of unilaterally pregnant gilts were analyzed. The gravid horn was 40% longer than the nongravid horn from d 18 to 27. Uterine horns with embryos increased linearly in weight and diameter (P less than .01) between d 15 and 27. Embryos, or the signals that they might give, apparently caused increases in length, weight and diameter of the uterine horn by d 18, but not before.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of oviposition substrates and organic infusions on collection of Culex in Florida.

Gravid mosquito traps are commonly used for both arbovirus surveillance and population surveillance of mosquitoes of the genus Culex. Oviposition substrates, used as baits in these traps, were tested against Culex under laboratory and field conditions. In the laboratory all substrates tested as 1% and 10% dilutions in 2-choice bioassays against female Cx. quinquefasciatus were significantly more effective than well water controls in eliciting oviposition. Strongest responses were to dilutions of dairy effluent, followed by larval water and infusions of alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets, Bermuda hay, oak leaves, and Typha leaves, with lowest responses to cow manure infusion. In the field, few significant differences in collections were obtained between traps baited with different infusions. Significantly more Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. nigripalpus were collected in traps baited with cow manure infusion (highest) compared to alfalfa hay infusion (lowest). Responses of Cx. quinquefasciatus to dairy effluent and infusions of Bermuda hay, oak leaves, and Typha leaves were not significantly different from either cow manure infusion or alfalfa hay infusion. Responses of Cx. nigripalpus were highest to cow manure infusion and equally low to infusions of alfalfa hay and Typha leaves; moderate responses were observed to dairy effluent and infusions of Bermuda hay and oak leaves. Gravid females comprised 66.7-81.9% of the collections for each infusion type, with no significant difference among infusions in the proportion of gravid females collected.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Vegetation-derived cues for the selection of oviposition substrates by Anopheles albimanus under laboratory conditions.

Oviposition response of gravid Anopheles albimanus Wiedemman (Diptera: Culicidae) females to water containing Brachiaria mutica, Cynodon dactylon, Jouvea straminea, Fimbristylis spadicea, and Ceratophyllum demersum was investigated. Gravid An. albimanus females deposited similar egg numbers in cups containing natural plants in water from natural breeding sites and in cups containing natural plants in distilled water. Gravid mosquitoes deposited significantly more eggs in cups containing natural plants in water from natural breeding sites than in cups containing artificial plants in water from the corresponding natural breeding sites. These results were confirmed in experiments conducted in a wind tunnel, indicating that female response is mediated by chemical cues from plants. Bioassays with organic extracts of all 5 plant species indicated that these extracts at 100%, 10%, and 1% concentrations had an oviposition repellent effect, while attractiveness was observed at 0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001%. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of the organic extracts found in all 5 plants showed a mixture of terpenoid and alcohol compounds, among them: guaiacol, phenol, isoeugenol, longifolene, caryophyllene, phenyl ethyl alcohol, and p-cresol. These results suggest that middle-range volatiles from plants may function as chemical cues for the female's oviposition response in this mosquito species.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Gonotrophic cycle and survivorship of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) using sticky ovitraps in Monterrey, northeastern Mexico.

Mark-release-recapture experiments were conducted to determine the length of the gonotrophic cycle and rate of survivorship of Culex quinquefasciatus Say in Monterrey, northeastern Mexico. A total of 2,352 field-caught Cx. quinquefasciatus females were marked and released at 8-12 h postemergence in 2 field trials. Sticky ovitraps were used to recapture marked gravid females. One hundred and ten (4.6%) marked females were recaptured during a 12-day sampling period. Recapture rates for the 2 individual trials were 6.4% and 3.5%. The length of the gonotrophic cycle, calculated as the average time between the initial blood meal and the time of recapture of gravid females, was 2-3 days. The first blood-fed mosquitoes were recaptured on the 2nd day postrelease. Gravid egg-laying females were most commonly recaptured at 2-3 days postfeeding. Daily survival estimates for the 2 release dates were of 0.871 and 0.883, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Effect of lying behavior on uterine blood flow in cows during the third trimester of gestation.

Seven Holstein cows (BW = 639.4 +/- 28.8 kg, age = 62.6 +/- 6.9 mo, parity = 3.1 +/- 0.4 yr) (mean +/- SE) were used to measure uterine blood flow using a transit time ultrasonic flow meter. Ultrasonic flow probes were implanted (d 218 +/- 4 of gestation) around both uterine arteries (n = 3) or the gravid uterine artery (n = 4) to measure variations in uterine blood flow through this vessel in response to postural change (standing and lying). Implantation of the ultrasonic blood flow probe was successful in all 7 cows. Uterine blood flow was measured for 22.9, 23.1, and 21.4 h/d on d 226, 248, and 269 of gestation, respectively. Cows exhibited normal durations of gestation (272.8 +/- 1.6 d), gave birth to normal healthy calves (birth weight = 41.5 +/- 3.0 kg), and did not retain their placenta. Uterine blood flow to the gravid horn during lying was greater than during standing on d 226 (standing vs. lying, 8.04 vs. 8.79 L/min, respectively), d 248 (9.87 vs. 11.06 L/min), and d 269 (8.15 vs. 9.74 L/min) of gestation. Cows spent nearly 50% of their time lying during our observations at all gestational ages. Greater blood supply to the gravid uterus was observed during lying than during standing in this study.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Increase in urinary desmosine and pyridinoline during postpartum involution of the uterus in humans.

One of the most rapid changes in collagen and elastin content of a tissue occurs in the uterus following postpartum involution. We measured the urinary excretion of specific amino acid markers for mature elastin (desmosine [DES] and isodesmosine [IDES]) and fibrillar collagen (hydroxylysyl pyridinoline [HP] and lysyl pyridinoline [LP]) before and after parturition in three gravid subjects. For that purpose, we used an isotope dilution method coupled with gel filtration and HPLC. The highest DES values were found 2-5 weeks postpartum and were 18-45 micrograms/g creatinine or two to six times those found for healthy neversmoking nongravid females (7.7 +/- 0.3 micrograms/g creatinine, mean +/- SE). The highest levels of urinary HP for each subject were found 2-3 weeks after parturition and were 115-607 nmol/mmol creatinine or 4-21 times those found for healthy neversmoking nongravid females (28.1 +/- 1.3 nmol/mmol creatinine). For the gravid subjects as a group and also for each subject, the mean values for urinary DES, IDES, HP, and HP/LP during the first 6 weeks postpartum were significantly greater than the mean baseline values beginning 27 weeks postpartum. For the gravid subjects as a group, the mean value for urinary HP/LP during the first 6 weeks postpartum was significantly greater than the value during the 20 weeks preceding parturition. This suggested that the tissue(s) of origin of the excess HP, during the 6 weeks following parturition, was not bony and was consistent with a uterine origin.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1997

Gestational changes in the uterine expression of an inwardly rectifying K+ channel, ROMK.

We have examined the repertoire and relative expression levels of voltage-gated K+ channels in timed-pregnant rat uteri. These studies have revealed the gestation-specific and abundant expression of mRNA encoding an inwardly rectifying K+ channel, ROMK (originally identified in renal outer medulla), within the gravid uterus. Steady-state levels of ROMK transcripts undergo dynamic gestational changes: they are undetectable in virgin uteri, reach a maximum level by Day 12 of gestation, decline thereafter until, by term, they are again undetectable. Kidney cells also express ROMK transcripts at high levels but do not undergo apparent changes during gestation. Molecular analyses (by "rapid amplification of cDNA ends", or "5'-RACE") of the ROMK mRNAs revealed the presence of two alternative-splicing variants which are likely to arise from distinct transcription-start sites within the same gene. Polymerase chain reaction-based assessments of gravid uteri from other species revealed the expression of ROMK transcripts in the myometrium as well. Uterine expression of ROMK therefore represents a generalized phenomenon, characterized by both gestation- and tissue-specific regulation, and the transcription-regulatory mechanisms of this channel protein are potentially complex. From the biophysical properties of this channel in vitro and the observed gestational profile, we hypothesize that this channel modulates both the resting membrane potential and cellular excitability of myometrial cells, and in turn contributes to the observed contractile quiescence of the gravid uterus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1965

[Metabolism of C(14)-glucose by Moniezia expansa and Diphyllobothrium mansoni]

The adult worms of cestodes, Moniezia expansa and Diphyllobothrium mansoni employed in this experiment. The worms were divided into three portions, i.e. immature, mature and gravid proglottids, and each proglottids were incubated in a certain incubation period, and the glucose uptake rate, total CO2 production rate, tissue concentration and their radioactivities were employed as previous reports(Rim et al., 1965). 1. The glucose uptake rate by M. expansa was a mean value of 6.46 +/- 1.23 micro M/hr/g of wet wt. and the rate by D. mansoni was a mean value of 18.8 +/- 0.8 micro M/hr/g of wet wt. The higher rates were observed in the mature proglottid of M. expansa and in the immature proglottid of D. mansoni. 2. The total CO2 production rates by the worms averaged 14.0 +/- 2.37 micro M/hr/g in M. expansa and 17.51 +/- 1.54 micro M/hr/g of wet wt. The relative specific activities of respiratory CO2(R.S.A CO2) averaged 22.2 +/- 5.15 percent in M. expansa and 54.2 +/- 2.2 per cent in D. mansoni. In the both worms, the higher values were obtained in the mature proglottids. 3. Therefore, the average value of 8.84 +/- 2.66 per cent of glucose utilized by M. expansa and 8.23 +/- 0.50 percent of glucose utilized by D. mansoni from the medium glucose was oxidized into respiratory CO2. 4. The tissue concentrations of glycogen were a mean of 2.21 +/- 0.46 percent per gram of wet wt. in M. expansa and 7.56 +/- 1.24 percent per gram of wet wt. in D. mansoni. The higher concentration of glycogen was observed in the gravid proglottids of M. expansa, however the gravid proglottids of D. mansoni showed lower concentration of glycogen than the other proglottids. 5. The turnover rate of glycogen pool yielded with a mean of 0.04 +/- 0.01 miligram per hour per gram of wet wt. of M. expansa, whereas a mean of 1.66 +/- 0.46 miligram per hour per gram wet wt. of D. mansoni. 6. Therefore, a mean value of 2.58 +/- 0.93 per cent(R.G.D gly) of glucose utilized by M. expansa and 53.6 +/- 1.4 percent by D. mansoni was incorproated into the glycogen. 7. These data account for that at least 11.42 per cent of the utilized glucose by M. expansa and 61.83 per cent of the utilized glucose by D. mansoni participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO2 and the synthetic process into glycogen.

Journal Article↗