Schistosoma mansoni belongs to the dioecious Schistosomatidae. The occasional observation of males with rudimentary female characteristics is thought to attest the hermaphroditic roots of this parasite. Supernumerary testicular lobes also are recurrently seen in this helminth, but their morphology and origin are elusive. Here, we investigated the morphology of the supernumerary lobes from 15 S. mansoni males and similar structures of 2 females in whole mounts by brightfield and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The follicles in the females were not regarded as testicular lobes, but 1 male had a rudimentary ovary with a residual oviduct posterior to the normal set of testicular lobes and was considered hermaphroditic. In addition, 6 other males contained supernumerary lobes that enclosed fully matured oocytes in variable amounts. In the remaining 8 males, no female characteristics could be seen, and the lobes showed morphologically a more testicular aspect, although this morphology was only confirmed in 1 male where spermatozoids were detected. The process underlying the expression of supernumerary testes or lobes with oocytes is similar and is, at least in part, induced by the host.
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June 2006
Research Article|
June 01 2006
HERMAPHRODITES AND SUPERNUMERARY TESTICULAR LOBES IN SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI (TREMATODA: SCHISTOSOMATIDAE) ANALYZED BY BRIGHTFIELD AND CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY
M. Hulstijn;
M. Hulstijn
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
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L. A. Barros;
L. A. Barros
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
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R. H. Neves;
R. H. Neves
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
* Laboratório de Helmintos Parasitos de Vertebrados, Departamento de Helmintologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Avenida Brazil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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E. G. Moura;
E. G. Moura
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
† Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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D. C. Gomes;
D. C. Gomes
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
* Laboratório de Helmintos Parasitos de Vertebrados, Departamento de Helmintologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Avenida Brazil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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J. R. Machado-Silva
J. R. Machado-Silva
Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida 28 de Setembro, 87-fundos, 20551-030, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. machado@uerj.br
‡ Disciplina de Parasitologia, Departamento de Patologia e Laborató rios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To whom correspondence should be addressed
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J Parasitol (2006) 92 (3): 496–500.
Citation
M. Hulstijn, L. A. Barros, R. H. Neves, E. G. Moura, D. C. Gomes, J. R. Machado-Silva; HERMAPHRODITES AND SUPERNUMERARY TESTICULAR LOBES IN SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI (TREMATODA: SCHISTOSOMATIDAE) ANALYZED BY BRIGHTFIELD AND CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY. J Parasitol 1 June 2006; 92 (3): 496–500. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-3552.1
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