Molting in a parasitic nematode, Phocanema decipiens. II. Histochemical study of the larval and adult cuticle

Abstract

The last larval and adult cuticles of Phocanema decipiens are similar in composition. Polysaccharides are absent except in the fiber layer of the larval cuticle. Lipids, if present, are bound tightly to proteins. The cuticles are principally proteinaceous and rich in collagen. The extreme resistance of the outer cortical layer to enzymatic digestion is a result of the formation of disulfide bonds. There was no evidence of tanning nor of nucleic acids or enzymes in the cuticles.