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Formation of basement membrane-like structure terminates the cellular encapsulation of microfilariae in the haemocoel of Anopheles quadrimaculatus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1998

C. T. LIU ,
R. F. HOU  and
C. C. CHEN
C. T. LIU
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, National Yang-Ming University, Shihpai, Taipei 112, Taiwan Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
R. F. HOU
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
C. C. CHEN
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, National Yang-Ming University, Shihpai, Taipei 112, Taiwan
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Abstract

The encapsulation of microfilariae in the haemocoels of mosquitoes combines both humoral and cellular reactions: the microfilariae are first encased in an acellular layer of melanin, followed by a cellular encapsulation by plasmatocytes. In this study, we demonstrated that cellular encapsulation of Brugia pahangi microfilariae in the haemocoel of the mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus was terminated by the formation of a basement membrane-like structure on the outermost surface of the cellular capsule. This structure occurred in the early stage of cellular encapsulation and was evident on the exterior surface of the plasmatocyte, when the active haemocytes were attaching to the already melanized microfilariae. The termination structure appears to be laid down by releasing the vesicle inclusions of haemocytes and has similarities in ultrastructure and cationic colloidal gold staining properties with that of mosquito basement membranes.

Keywords

Anopheles quadrimaculatusbasement membrane-like structureBrugia pahangicationic colloidal goldcellular encapsulationtermination
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 116 , Issue 6 , June 1998 , pp. 511 - 518
Copyright
1998 Cambridge University Press

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