Ultrastructural observations of the vitelline cells of Metamicrocotyla macracantha (Monogenea, Microcotylidae)

ABSTRACT

An electron microscopic study of the vitelline follicles of Metamicrocotyla macracantha (Alexander, 1954) Karatha, 1955 showed that they are composed of cells in different stages of development. The immature cells have a large nucleus, nucleolus, cytoplasm with free ribosomes and few mitochondria. The development vitelline cells present granules which are small in the early stages, increasing with maturity. The mature cells have an extensive granular endoplasmic reticulum and droplets of shell-protein; with maturation, clusters of shell protein and yolk bodies are formed and released in the ciliated vitelline ducts. Vitelline development is continuous and all of the cellular stages involved can be found in each follicle.