Ultrastructural immunolocalization of two circulating egg antigens in miracidia ofSchistosoma mansoni

Abstract

SUMMARYIn the present study ultrastructural immunocytochemical techniques have been used to localize the cells producing two soluble egg antigens present in the hatching fluid ofSchistosoma mansoni, using two recently described monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). In the miracidium ofS. mansoni, the one apical and the two lateral unicellular glands showed immunoreactivity for the egg antigens, using a post-embedding immunogold technique. Immunoreactivity was associated with the contents of vesicles for both the MAbs, although the intravesicular distribution was not identical. This difference in ultrastructural staining pattern provides additional evidence that the two MAbs are binding with different epitopes of the same antigen or with different antigens altogether. The finding of free unbound label around the embedded miracidium is consistent with secretion having been released from the glands.