Localization of Glycogen in Fasciola hepatica L. and an Effect of Insulin

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Abstract
The distribution of glycogen in the adult common liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, was studied by the periodic acid-Schiff reaction. As well as in the yolk cells, the peripheral muscle layers and to a lesser extent the parenchyma, glycogen was detected in fine tonofibrils in the tegument.The glycogen of the peripheral muscle layers and of the tonofibrils of the tegument is drastically depleted if the flukes are kept for a few hours in Hédon-Fleig with insulin added, as compared to controls without insulin.The effect of insulin raises the question whether this protein enters the tissues through the surface of the tegument, or conceivably but less likely, through the gut. Furthermore, the mechanism of its action in the parasite's tissues requires investigation