Mesocestoides corti

Hrckova, G., Velebny, S., Halton, D.W., Day, T.A. and Maule, A.G. (2004) Pharmacological characterization of neuropeptide F (NPF)-induced effects on the motility of Mesocestoides corti (syn. Mesocestoides vogae) larvae. International Journal for Parasitology 34, 83-93. 

As indicated above, the fact that oxygen is consumed in vitro does not imply that oxygen is utilised in vivo, unless evidence is presented that a similar level of oxygen is available in vivo. Some species (Spirometra mansonoides, Mesocestoides corti, Hymenolepis nana, H. diminuta) can be successfully cultured under strict anaerobic conditions, whereas others (H. microstoma, T. crassiceps, Echinococcus sp.) thrive best under air (796 Chapter 10). The significance of oxidative processes in the energy balance of cestodes is discussed in Chapter 5. 

Mesocestoides corti concentrate a variety of cations - chromium, copper, gallium, indium, thallium, zinc and zirconium - into calcareous corpuscles in vitro (36). 

Some useful, general studies on intermediary metabolism include those on Monieziaexpansa (59-61,664) H. diminuta (400,531,590,612,667) H. microstoma (665, 666) Echinococcus spp. (488, 498, 500) Mesocestoides corti (399) Cotugnia digonopora (618, 619) Schistocephalus solidus (406) and Ligula intestinalis (502). 

Mesocestoides corti pyruvate, malate Lactate, succinate, Similar to aerobic with... 

It has been purified (445) and shares some properties in common with malic enzymes from mammals and birds in being NADP-dependent, heat-stable and able to decarboxylate oxaloacetate. The malic enzyme of H. microstoma also has a marked specificity for NADP (216), contrasting with that of Spirometra mansonoides, which appears to be both NAD- and NADP-linked (220). Malic enzyme has been demonstrated in a range of other cestodes including Mesocestoides corti (399), Schistocephalus solidus (406), Moniezia expansa (60), Echinococcus spp. (500) and L. intestinalis (502). 

Krebs cycle intermediates (Table 5.12) and/or enzymes (Table 5.13). Nevertheless, certain key enzymes, especially aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase, are very low in activity or are undetectable in species such as H. diminuta, whereas only very small amounts of 14C02, a characteristic end-product of the TCA cycle, were liberated in vitro from [14C]glucose by the tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti (399) and adults of Cotugnia digonopora (618). The classical TCA cycle is, therefore, unlikely to function to any significant extent in these cestodes. 

In the cyclophyllidean Mesocestoides corti, uniquely, an asexual development pattern occurs in the definitive host intestine. Both the recently ingested larva (a tetrathyridium) and the adult worm are capable of undergoing asexual multiplication. This is illustrated dramatically by an experiment in which 2000 tetrathyridia were fed to a dog and 45 days later some 15 000 worms were recovered on autopsy (739). This unusual development was first shown by Eckert et al. (192) and has since been studied by a number of workers (383, 607, 739, 871, 907). 

Fig. 9.12. Mesocestoides corti simplified diagram of the asexual and sexual processes occurring in the intestine of the definitive host (cat/dog). (After Smyth, 1987Z>.)...

Fig. 10.11. Mesocestoides corti. Diagrammatic representation of the stages of sexual differentiation during development of a tetrathyridium to an adult worm in vitro. (Reprinted with permission from International Journalfor Parasitology, 12, Barrett, N. J., Smyth, J. D. Ong, S. J., Spontaneous sexual differentiation of Mesocestoides corti tetrathyridia in vitro, 1982, Pergamon Journals Ltd.)...

Most work has centred on cyclophyllidean species whose larvae develop in mammals. Few studies have been made on the other cestode orders, such as the Pseudophyllidea whose larvae develop in lower vertebrates, especially fish, amphibia and reptilia. Apart from the H. nana/rodent system, discussed earlier, the most studied species have been those which are either readily maintained in laboratory animals or are of medical, veterinary or economic importance, i.e. Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis, Mesocestoides corti, Taenia crassiceps, T. hydatigena, T. multiceps, T. ovis, T. saginata and T. solium. The account given here has been restricted largely to these species. 

TCckert, J., von Brand, T. Voge, M. (1969). Asexual multiplication of Mesocestoides corti (Cestoda) in the intestine of dogs. Journal of Parasitology, 55 241-9. 

Hariri, M. (1974a). Quantitative measurements of endogenous levels of acetylcholine and choline in tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti (Cestoda) by means of combined gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. Journal of Parasitology, 60 227-30. 

Occurrence and concentration of biogenic amines in Mesocestoides corti (Cestoda). Journal of Parasitology, 60 737—43. 

Hess, E. (1980). Ultrastructural study of the tetrathyridium of Mesocestoides corti Hoeppli, 1925 (Cestoda) tegument and parenchyma. Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde, 61 135-59. 

Kohler, P. Hanselmann, K. (1974). Anaerobic and aerobic metabolism in the larvae (tetrathyridia) of Mesocestoides corti. Experimental Parasitology, 36 178-88. 

Schmidt, J. M. Todd, K. S. (1978). Life cycle of Mesocestoides corti in the dog (Canis familaris). American Journal of Veterinary Research, 39 1490-3. 

There is good evidence for de novo pyrimidine synthesis in cestodes. Five of the six enzymes needed for UMP synthesis are present in Hymenolepis diminuta and aspartate transcarbamoylase activity has been found in Moniezia benedeni (81). Salvage of preformed pyrimidines by a cestode was first reported in Mesocestoides corti (70). Thymidine kinase is the only cestode H. diminuta) pyrimidine salvage enzyme that has been characterized (114). 

Kowalski, J. C. and Thorson, R. E. (1976) Effect of certain lipid compounds on growth and asexual multiplication of Mesocestoides corti (Cestoda) tetrathydria. Int. J. Parasitol. 6 327-331. 

Leishmani donovani Schistosoma japonicum Mesocestoides corti... 

White TR, Thompson RCA, Penhale WJ, Chihara G (1988) The effect of lentinan on the resistance of mice to Mesocestoides corti, Parasitol Res 74 563-568... 

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