Evaluation of schistosoma mansoni nervous system using confocal laser electron microscopy: nerve sensilla and FMRFamide while referring to F-actin abundance

Figures & data

Table 1. Showing the main differences between male schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium as revealed by silver impregnation.

Parameters	S. mansoni	S.haematobium
Cereberal ganglia (CG)	Stained	Unstained
Ventrolateral connectives (VLC)	Unstained	Stained
Dorsal connective (DC)	Unstained	Deeply stained
Inner dorsal nerve cord (IDNC)	Unstained	Stained
Nerve cell (NC)	Stained	Unstained
Edge nerve (EN)	Unstained	Stained
Ventral sucker rings (VR)	Deeply Stained	Slightly Stained
Circular muscles nerves (CMN)	Unstained	Deeply stained
Gynaecophoral canal edge (GCE)	Unstained	Deeply Stained
Excretory pore nerves(EPN)	Unstained	Stained
Excretory pore	Unstained	Stained
Tubercles	Unstained	Deeply stained
Uterus wall (UW)	Unstained	Stained
Eggs (E)	Unstained	Stained
Oӧtype (OӦ)	Unstained	Stained

Figure 1. Light micrographs for AgNO3-treated male S. mansoni. (a). Nerve sensilla (NS) of dorsal surface of the middle region. (b). Venteral sucker showing ventral nerve of the sucker (VN) and venteral sucker rings (VR). (c). Anterior region of the male. Showing anteroventral connectives (AVC), cereberal ganglia (CG), oral sucker ring (OR), ring commissures (RC), venteral nerve cord (VNC) and venteral sucker (VS). (d). Dorsal surface showing nerve cell (NC).

Figure 2. Light micrographs for AgNO3-treated male S. haematobium.

(a). Whole mount showing edge of gynaecophoral canal (EGC) and edge nerve (EN). Note numberless of nerve sensilla. (b). Anterior region of the worm. Showing anteroventral connectives (AVC), nerve branches (NB), oral sucker (OS), ventral sucker nerve (VN), ventral sucker rings (VR) and ventral sucker (VS). (c). Lateral view of oral (OS) and ventral (VS) suckers. Note two ventral sucker nerve (VN). (d). Anterior region showing dorsal connective (DC1), oral nerve (ON) and oral ring (OR) of the sucker. (e). Ventral sucker region showing dorsal nerve cord (DNC), lateral nerve cord (LNC) and ventral nerve cord (VNC). Note ventrolateral connectives (VLC) from ventral nerve cord to lateral nerve cord. (f). Nerve sensilla (NS) and ventral nerve cord (VNC). (g). Circular muscles nerves (CMN).

Figure 3. (A-e).Light micrographs for AgNO3-treated male S. haematobium. (a). magnification of nerve sensilla (NS). Note circular muscles nerves (black arrows). (b). dorsal surface showing tubercles (T) and ventral nerve cord (VNC). (C). male with dorsal connectives (DC) and the gynaecophoral canal (GC). (d). magnification of the posterior regionshowing dorsal connectives (DC), dorsal nerve cord (DNC) and inner dorsal nerve cord (IDNC). (e). excretory pore (EP). (f-h) light micrographs for AgNO3-treated female S. haematobium. (f). Whole female. (g). Magnification of posterior region showing ring commissures (RC) and ventral nerve cord (VNC). (3 H). magnification of anterior region (A), egg (E), ootype (OӦ) and uterus wall (UW) and the beginning of posterior region (B) showing ganglion knots (GK) and lateral nerve cord (LNC).

Figure 4. Confocal laser scanning micrographs of muscle activities in S. mansoni and S. haematobium.

(a). CLSM of both Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium stained with FITC-Phalloidin (green) showing the general musculature in circular muscle fibers (C), longitudinal muscle fibers (L), dorso-ventral muscle fibers (DV) and transverse muscle fibers (TR). (b). CLSM showing the undulating muscle of the body tegument causing the characteristic worm body feature. Note surface sensillae muscle (SSM). (c). CLSM showing the musculature of oral sucker (OS) and digestive system of S. mansoni. Note. Oesophagus muscle (O) and intestinal tract (IT). (d). CLSM showing the oral sucker (OS) musculature of S. mansoni. Note. Circular muscles (CM), longitudinal muscles (LM) and radial muscles (RM). (e). CLSM showing the ventral sucker (VS) musculature of S. mansoni. Note. Circular muscles (CM), longitudinal muscles (LM) and radial muscles (RM).

Figure 5. Confocal laser scanning micrographs of nerve activities in S. mansoni and S. haematobium.

(a). CLSM at the anterior end of the S. mansoni showing the cerebral ganglia (CG). (b). CLSM at the anterior end of the S. haematobium stained with anti-FMRF amid (red) showing the cerebral ganglia (CG) and ventral connective (VCO). (c). CLSM at the anterior end of the S. mansoni showing the pharyngeal innervations and the connection between the cerebral ganglia (CG) and ring commissures (RC1, RC2) going forward to oral sucker ring (OR). (d). CLSM at the anterior end of S. haematobium showing the ring commissures (RC) and ganglion knots (GK). (e). CLSM at the anterior end of S. haematobium. Note: ventral sucker, nerve branch (NB), and ventral sucker ring (VR). (f). CLSM at the anterior end of S. mansoni. Note: the innervation of pharynx and body tegument. Note pharyngeal lapel nerve (LN), surface sensillae muscle (SSM) and surface sensilla nerve (SSN). (g). CLSM at the posterior end of S. haematobium display the execratory vesicle (EV), excretory pore (EP) supplied with nerve of excretory pore (EPN). (h). CLSM at the posterior end of S. mansoni display the execratory vesicle (EV), excretory pore (EP) supplied with its nerve (EPN).