Changes in the structure of the male reproductive system of Nematodirus battus during its rejection from lambs

Abstract

SUMMARYAs the infection progresses in lambs, the developing germ cells of male Nematodirus battus become filled with lysosome-like bodies, electron-dense granules and membrane-bound vesicles, and the organization and division of the gametic nucleus appears to be altered. The epithelial cells of the reproductive tract are also damaged and the secretory-type globules produced by the cells of the vas deferens are denatured. These changes are compared with ultrastructural changes observed in other species of nematode affected by the immune response of their hosts.