Murine antibodies, raised against a purified recombinant 30 kDa
laminin-binding protein from Echinococcus granulosus,
were used to investigate the tissue distribution of the native protein
in protoscoleces and brood capsules. Immunofluorescence,
in combination with confocal microscopy, revealed that the protein was
distributed in small annular foci near
the peripheral regions of the protoscoleces. Immunoelectron microscopy
of thawed cryosections demonstrated that the
laminin-binding protein was present in the cytoplasm of tegumentary cytons
and myocytons, but not in cells of the
excretory system. The protein was associated with amorphous regions of
the cytoplasm, and was not expressed at the
surfaces of cells. This distribution resembles those of other invertebrate
laminin-binding proteins, which are thought to
act in the cell cycle and cell proliferation events. A low degree of label
was consistently detected in extracellular matrices
of the protoscolex.