The Laboratory Propagation of Spirometra mansonoides as an Experimental Tool. V. Behavior of the Sparganum in and out of the Mouse Host, and Formation of Immune Precipitates

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Abstract
Sparganum larvae in mice migrate widely during the first month of infection, but then settle down and grow, forming discrete little piles, even in the absence of any host reaction. In contrast, cultured larvae perform crawling movements indefinitely. On the assumption that antibodies formed during the period of migration tranquil-ize the worms, cultured worms were incubated in normal mouse serum, saline, culture medium, and immune mouse serum. No difference in behavior was noted. But precipitates formed along the length of the worm immune serum. Collars of precipitate form on the neck and scolex of spargana incubated in any proteinaceous medium. These have nothing to do with immunity. They appear to be formed by coagulating glands in the scolex, and probably serve to cement the adult scolex in place in the mucosa of the definitive host.