Functional ultrastructure of the parenchymatic capsules of the cestode Thysanotaenia congolensis (Cyclophyllidea, Anoplocephalidae, Inermicapsiferinae).

Proglottids from adult Thysanotaenia congolensis from naturally infected black rats Rattus rattus from Santiago Island, Cape Verde, were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The uterus in mature proglottids is composed of an ephemeral transverse tube or sac that breaks down, releasing eggs into the parenchyma where they are sequestered in groups and encapsulated by parenchymatous layers. In gravid proglottids, eggs accumulate in groups of 6-12 at the distal end of sac-like uterine ducts. As eggs accumulate, the end of the uterine ducts expands until it pinches off, releasing groups of eggs into the parenchyma surrounded by remnants of uterine epithelium. These epithelium-bound groups of eggs remain in the parenchyma until they are encapsulated with several parenchymatous layers, forming parenchymatic egg capsules, typical for mature and gravid proglottids of Inermicapsiferinae. The parenchymatic capsules originate from the medullary parenchyma of immature proglottids, which undergoes differentiation into the three layers of gravid proglottids: (1) an outer connective tissue layer composed of long delicate filaments of unknown chemical nature embedded in a granular extracellular matrix; (2) a middle layer appearing as an accumulation of large closely packed PAS-positive mucous goblets that are intensely metachromatic after toluidine blue staining and (3) an inner compact layer composed of lipid-containing cells, muscle cells with elongated muscle fibres and cells of various sizes and shapes forming or containing calcareous corpuscles. The mature hexacanths of T. congolensis are surrounded by reduced oncospheral envelopes consisting of remnants of a very thin membranous layer of degenerating embryophore with long, irregularly shaped cytoplasmic processes and by remnants of uterine epithelium extending as numerous apical microlamellae into the parenchymatic capsule lumen.