Abstract
The egg-shell of Trichuris suis consists of three layers: an outer vitelline layer, a middle chitinous layer and an inner lipid layer. This nomenclature is based upon previous studies on nematode eggs; the histochemistry of the shell layers and the appearance of the vitelline layer. The presence of chitin in the egg-shell is demonstrated by its infrared absorption and the detection of glucosamine in acid hydrolysates of the shells. The chitinous layer has a lamellate appearance consisting of a helicoidal chitin/protein complex. This is in the form of chitin microfibrils surrounded by a protein coat. The chitinous layer of the opercular plugs also consists of a chitin/protein complex. There is a lower proportion of protein than in the rest of the shell and the protein is arranged as fibrils in a chitin matrix. It is suggested that this arrangement makes the opercular plug susceptible to degradation by larval enzymes during the hatching process.
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