• Applied Microscopy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 1999

The ultrastructural changes of cuticular surface, excretory and digestive organs of Anisakis simplex larvae chronologically recovered from experimental cats were observed with a SEM and TEM. The larva recovered from an experimental cat at 3 days post-infection (PI) retained the cuticular surface with regular transverse striations and a longitudinal groove on the lateral side of body. This finding suggests that the molting of the 3rd stage larva of A. simplex to 4th one occurred from the 3rd day after infection in cats. The excretory organ (renette cell) consisted of a large cell with numerous ductules ramified from the main duct, mitochondria and secretory granules in cytoplasm. Secretory granules in the renette cell of larvae recovered at 24 hours PI were round whereas those of control and larvae recovered at 6 hours PI were amorphous. Muscular esophagus and ventriculus also retained many secretory granules in the cytoplasm. The secretory granules in these organs of larvae recovered at $6\sim24$ hours PI were electron-dense and widely distributed whereas those of control worm were packed in a pocket and retained various electron densities. In the cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells, numerous fine glycogen particles and mitochondria were distributed. The chronological changes of secretory granules in renette cell, muscular esophagus and ventriculus seem to be related with the worm penetration into host tissue.