The Tapeworm as an Important Model Organism in the Experimental Parasitology of the 21st Century.

The tapeworm is a common parasite of the small intestine in rodents but it can also infect humans. Due to its characteristics and ease of maintenance in the laboratory, is also an important model species in studies of cestodiasis, including the search for new drugs, treatments, diagnostics and biochemical processes, as well as its host-parasite interrelationships. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the immune response caused by in the host, and several studies indicate that infection with can reduce the severity of concomitant disease. Here, we present a critical review of the experimental research conducted with the use of as a model organism for over more than two decades (in the 21st century). The present review evaluates the tapeworm as a model organism for studying the molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology aspects of parasitology, as well as certain clinical applications. It also systematizes the latest research on this species. Its findings may contribute to a better understanding of the biology of tapeworms and their adaptation to parasitism, including complex correlations between and invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. It places particular emphasis on its value for the further development of modern experimental parasitology.