A source of confusion has existed since the turn of the century about the reddish brown, weakly birefringent "sphaerocrystals" located in the intestines of strongyle nematodes, Strongylus and Ancylostoma. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectrometric analyses were used for accurate determination of the crystalline order and elemental composition of the granules in the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. The composition of the intestinal pigmented granules was identified unequivocally as zinc sulfide. It seems most probable that the granules serve to detoxify high levels of metallic ions (specifically zinc) present due to the large intake of host blood.
Ancylostoma caninum, and Oesophagostomum radiatum.
APPROVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE:IY'avid T. Clark, Chair
Richard PetersenThe parasitic nematodes Ancylostoma caninum and Oesophagostomum radiatum were collected and analyzed for intestinal inorganic granules. Three means of identification were utilized to determine the composition granules, including birefringence, x-ray diffraction and energy dispersive 2 spectrometric (EDS) analysis. Initial x-ray diffraction results of the two worms showed a calcium sulfide presence within the worms. Closer examination of the granules withinAncylostoma caninum however, utilizing EDS analysis revealed their composition to be zinc sulfide. These results concur with those of Rogers (1940) and Clark (1956) who found zinc sulfide granules in several species of Strongylus. The ZnS granules seem to be a result of a detoxification function that binds excess zinc and sulfhydryl groups present from the ingestion and breakdown of dietary blood meals.
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