An Isolated Nerve-Muscle Preparation from Ascaris Lumbricoides

Abstract

A technique is described for the preparation from the body wall of Ascaris of semi-isolated strips of muscle. These strips are exposed on one side to the surrounding medium and are suitable for studies of the action of anthelminthic and other drugs upon the exposed musculature. A medium suitable for use in such experiments has been devised and its preparation is described. Media made up to represent the body fluid of Ascaris fail to support physiological activity in the exposed muscle strips, and it seems that this perienteric fluid does not correspond to the true milieu intérieur of this nematode. Some new observations on the nature and composition of the perienteric fluid are presented incidentally in the text.