Schistosoma haematobium: neutral lipid composition and release by adults maintained in vitro.

Thin-layer chromatographic analyses showed that the major neutral lipid fractions of whole-worm extracts of male and female adult Schistosoma haematobium were free sterols, triacylglycerols and sterol esters. Worm-free incubates of adult worm-pairs contained free sterols only. The major fractions of worm-free incubates from separated worms were free fatty acids and free sterols; traces of triacylglycerols and sterol esters were also detected. Females incubated in a group of ten released more free fatty acids than ten incubated singly. Males incubated singly released more free sterols than a similar number incubated in a group. Females released more free sterols than males.