Studies on Metabolism of Taenia taeniaeformis

Abstract

In attempts at the in vitro culture of tapeworms, larvae and adults of Taenia taeniaeformis were utilized and factors that may contribute to their longevity were studied. Motility was the criterion for determining length of life. Larvae were maintained 24 days in a sterile, aerobic medium containing glucose. Time of survival in anaerobic media was much shorter. Adults in an aerobio medium containing amino-nitrogen sources did not respond well and only one was alive at the end of 77 hrs. Using the Winkler Method, O2 consumption of larvae was measured in normal Ringer''s and in Ringer''s varying in cyanide conc. The respiration of these larvae is cyanide-sensitive in part and recovery from cyanide inhibition is slow but appears to be complete. In evacuated Thunberg tubes, T. taeniaeformis larvae were able to reduce methylene blue slowly. The presence of glucose as a substrate did not increase this reduction.