Abstract

Hildreth M. B. and Lumsden R. D. 1988. Utilization and absorption of carbohydrates by the plerocercus metacestode of Otobothrium insigne (Cestoda:Trypanorhyncha). International Journal for Parasitology 18: 251–257. Otobothrium insigne plerocerci were used to study the nutritional relationship between a metacestode bladder and its juvenile scolex relative to carbohydrate metabolism. This plerocercus contains a large quantity of glycogen in its blastocyst (bladder) outer wall and juvenile scolex. Blastocyst fluid contains a large amount of glucose, at a concentration significantly higher than that of the host's serum. When scoleces were excised from their blastocysts and maintained in saline without glucose, their glycogen content decreased significantly. However, if the scoleces were left in their blastocysts during maintenance in saline, their glycogen reserve remained unchanged, and the glycogen reserve in the blastocyst decreased significantly. This suggests that the blastocyst may function as a glucose reservoir for the scolex. The blastocyst absorbs glucose exclusively by active transport; in contrast, glucose is absorbed into the scolex by active transport and diffusion. The elevated glucose concentration in the blastocyst may cause glucose to enter the scolex primarily by diffusion. Therefore, the blastocyst may also serve to push glucose into the scolex by creating a high diffusion gradient for glucose in the fluid just external to the scolex.

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