Abstract
The concentration of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Cu in adult Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum was determined using plasma spectrometric analysis. There was no difference in elemental composition of Schistosoma mansoni pairs that were incubated in various media such as RPMI/1640, Eagle's medium or Hanks' balanced salt solution. These values were also equivalent to those obtained from worms directly extracted with 2% HCl. Female worms of both species contained a relatively higher concentration of Fe and Cu than the males. Incubation of worms at low temperature (0 C) but not at 37 C because an increase in Na and decrease in K compared to those at room temperature (21 C). Similar changes in Na and K values were also caused by treatment of worms with ouabain (10(-5) M) and also by incubation in Ca-free medium containing EGTA. Praziquantel (10(-6) M) caused a slight increase in Na content.
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