Morphological and Biochemical Studies on Absorption and Secretion in the Alimentary Tract of Fasciola hepatica L.

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Abstract
The intestinal epithelium of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica L. was studied with light and electron microscopes. Absorption experiments were performed with ferritin and radioactive amino acids as tracers. Further experiments were carried out on the lytic effect on gelatin of fluid from the gut. The luminal epithelial surface is provided with numerous micro-villi. In the cytoplasm of the cells mitochondria occur in rows parallel to lamellae of a rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. The epithelium consists of cells in nonsecretory and secretory phases. In the secretory phase dense granules occur in the apical parts of the cells. In these cells the organelles show degenerative alterations. No absorption of ferritin (a high molecular weight compound) was detected. A rapid uptake in the intestinal epithelium of radioactivity from labeled amino acids (low molecular weight compounds) was found. Extrain-testinal digestion of gelatin was observed.

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