The Chemical Nature of Metacercarial Cysts. I. Histological and Histochemical Observations on the Cyst of Posthodiplostomum minimum

Abstract

The cyst wall of meta-cercariae of Posthodiplostomum minimum is found to be made up of 2 distinct layers. On the basis of various histochemical and histological observations, the outer layer is shown to be fibroblastic. The more complex inner layer is non-cellular. Chemically it consists of protein-carbohydrate complexes that are not unlike vertebrate ground substance. Consideration is given to the possible sources of the components of the cyst wall.