Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)
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Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms) Introduction 1. Bilaterally symmetrical, acoelomate, unsegmented, free-living or parasitic worms with a mouth & enteron (absent in some parasitic groups) but no anus. 2. Anterior brain & longitudinal nerve cords; protonephridial excretory system; complex hermaphrodite reproductive system; cephalization. 3. Spiral cleavage development in some. Division is oblique to the egg polar axis. Egg division is unequal into micromeres and macromeres. 4. Triploblastic: three embryonic layers; ectoderm, endoderm & mesoderm. 5. Mesoderm consists of muscle fibres & mesenchyme. Diversity What is the significance of the lack of a circulatory system? 1) Limits free-living flatworms to relatively small sizes. 2) Makes the flattened shape of larger species advantageous for gaseous exchange. Why are platyhelminths restricted to certain environments? 3) Body surface, acting as permeable respiratory surface, is potential site of fluid loss. This restricts platyhelminths to environments in which dehydration is unlikely to occur. 4) Aquatic and moist terrestrial habitats & as parasites in body cavities of other animals. Page 1 of 19 A. Turbellarians (Planarians) What are the general features of Turbellarians? 1) Free-living (most), acoelomate worms with ciliated epidermis. 2) Most are predators or scavengers; some are true parasites. 3) Some have symbiotic relationships with other animals. 4) E.g. A rhabdocoel lives in digestive system of gastropod or bivalve. Another rhabdocoel lives in tube feet of starfish. 5) Habitats range from marine to freshwater to moist terrestrial. 6) Dorsoventral flat with small tentacles or AURICLES on the head. 7) Dark colour but the marine ones are bright. B. Trematodes (Flukes) Endoparasitic (most) & have 2 or 3 hosts in life cycle. Cavity in the holdfast organs. Dorsoventral flat bodies I. Digeneans 1) Flukes with 2 or 3 hosts, the first a mollusc & the last a vertebrate. 2) Molluscan intermediate host = gastropod or bivalve. 3) Two muscular holdfast organs; anterior ORAL SUCKER (surrounds mouth) & larger ventral sucker or ACETABULUM. 4) Adults occur in definitive host & inhabit any organ in the body. II. Aspidobothreans 1) Single-host life cycle. 2) Endoparasitic, ectoparasitic or ectocommensal in or on hosts. 3) Large ventral sucker is divided by septa into alveoli. Page 2 of 19 C. Monogenea (Flukes) Single-host life cycle. Posterior attachment organ (OPISTHAPTOR). Anterior PROHAPTOR (adhesive glands & suckers). Ectoparasitic on fish & some vertebrates; very host-specific. D. Cestodes List the general features of Cestodes. 1) Endoparasitic in gut or coelomic cavity of vertebrates. 2) 2 or more hosts in life cycle. 3) Attachment organ called SCOLEX, followed by a strobilus comprising a repeated series of body units called PROGLOTTIDS. 4) Lack alimentary tract; lack any form of intestine. 5) Possess a cercomere = posterior attachment structure bearing hooks. I. Cestodarians Trematode-like body form. Unstrobilated & lack a scolex. Endoparasites of fish & turtles. II. Eucestodes (Tapeworms) 1) Ribbon-like shape 2) Anterior attachment region (scolex) & strobila of proglottids. 3) Scolex attaches to host’s intestinal mucosa; behind scolex is neck. 4) Holdfast structures on scolex vary, & include: rows of hooklets (ROSTELLUM), muscular suckers, elongate flaps of tissue (BOTHRIA), & leaf-like outgrowths (BOTHRIDIA). 5) Each proglottid contains male & female reproductive organs. o Immature at anterior end of strobila; no eggs. o Mature eggs in UTERUS of posterior proglottid. Page 3 of 19 Relationships within Platyhelminthes Trematodes, Monogeneans, and Cestodes are placed in a group called NEODERMATA based on molecular biology. Ciliated larval epidermis is replaced by SYNCYTIAL NEODERMIS in the adult. Structure & Function Body Wall What is the structure & composition of Turbellarian body wall? 1) Body wall is a ciliated epithelium. Cilia are used in swimming or gliding locomotion. 2) Epidermis contains mucus-secreting GLAND CELLS derived from ectoderm. Cells have their main body in mesenchyme & processes extend to body surface. 3) Mucus maintains a moist body surface, lubricating locomotion, & for capturing prey. 4) Epidermis contains rod-shaped bodies called RHABDOIDS that produce mucus when released from body surface. 5) Secretory cells in mesenchyme, below epidermis, produce RHABDITES. 6) Unstriated muscles lie beneath epidermis & include circular, longitudinal & oblique fibres. Describe the parasitic (Trematoda, Monogenea, Cestoda) body wall. 1) Distinctive tegument, NEODERMIS. 2) Distal cytoplasm of tegument has outer membrane & matrix containing mitochondria and vesicles. 3) From this layer, passing through the basal lamina, are numerous microtubule-lined cytoplasmic connections to tegumental CYTONS. 4) Cytons are flask-shaped cell bodies which lie in the mesenchyme. They are source of structural elements of outer tegument (spines). 5) Bands of circular, longitudinal & oblique muscles between basal lamina & mesenchyme. Page 4 of 19 What is the difference between Trematode and Cestode body wall? 1) Cestodes have highly specialized microvilli called MICROTRICHES that cover the entire surface of the tegument. They increase the surface area & are an adaptation for animals lacking the gut. Trematodes have no microvilli. 2) Neodermis in Monogenean larval stage is covered by ciliated cells arranged in regions, separated by cytoplasmic SYNCYTIUM (discontinuous syncytium) & both layers are nucleated in early stages. Nuclei disintegrate later on. 3) Basal lamina is then formed. 4) Stem cells formed below the lamina. These cells produce cytoplasmic processes below the lamina, connecting to the anucleate surface cytoplasm. 5) End of the free living stage ciliated cells are lost continuous syncytium is formed (= neodermis). 6) Digenean larva is ciliated (MIRACIDIUM) has ciliated epidermal cells separated by ridge cytoplasm this is lost at the time of entering a host (mollusc) ridge cytoplasm spread and more cytoplasm is formed by stem cells. Mesenchyme What is the mesenchyme & where is it found? 1) Space between internal organs is filled with mesenchyme. 2) Cellular connective tissue which supports organ systems, and… 3) Functions in transport of metabolites. 4) Contains secretory cell bodies. What are the two main categories of cell? Fixed mesenchymal cells & stem cells. What is the significance of fixed mesenchymal cells in parasites? Contain large reserves of glycogen. Page 5 of 19 Large & have extensive processes which interdigitate with choroid cells (cells with fluid filled vacuoles) or with pigmented cells which are filamentous connective tissue (collagen). These are fibers act as skeleton and anchor points for muscle cells. What is the significance of a lack of carbohydrate in the host diet? 1) Depletion of glycogen in fixed mesenchymal cells in parasites. 2) Stunting of worms & reduction in numbers. What are the features of stem cells? 1) Two types of stem cells: neoblasts & epidermal replacement cells (derived from neoblasts). 2) Neoblasts a) Pluripotent or totipotent b) Large nucleus & little cytoplasm. c) Function in regeneration following asexual reproduction or trauma. d) Act as stem cells for the gonads. Feeding & Digestion What is the significance of the lack of an anus? Undigested food must be regurgitated through the mouth. What is the structure & function of the intestine? 1) Lined with monolayer of endodermal cells (gastrodermis) which carry out digestion & absorption. 2) Junctional complexes provide continuity between gastrodermis cells & mesenchyme cells. Does extracellular digestion occur in Platyhelminths? 1) Partial extracellular digestion may occur, with enzymes being secreted in the pharynx or by gastrodermal cells. 2) Semi-digested material is phagocytosed by intestinal cells, in which final digestion occurs. What are the feeding habits of Turbellarians? Few feed on photosynthetic organisms such as diatoms & green algae BUT most are predators or scavengers. Page 6 of 19 Symbiotic, e.g. acoel Turbellarian Roscoffensis has symbiotic relationship with green algae Tetraselmis. As a young ingests the algae but as an adult does not feed. Describe the digestive system of ACOEL Turbellarians. 1) Digestive system is a membrane-bound SYNCYTIAL mass, separated from other tissues by specialized ‘wrapping’ cells & opening to the outside via simple, ciliated pharynx. 2) Feed by ciliary action, sweeping small prey & organic particles into the mouth. 3) Syncytium forms only after ingestion of food & shed off after digestion. Describe the digestive system of OTHER Turbellarians. 1) Have an eversible pharynx = folded, muscular tube lying within a pharyngeal tube. 2) During feeding, the free end of the tube is everted through the mouth. 3) Have a sac-like intestine which may have three (triclad), or many (polyclad), branches. Describe the digestive system of Trematode redia larvae. 1) Have a muscular pharynx & an intestinal sac. 2) Able to ingest host tissue & even germinal sacs of other Trematode species. 3) Gut is lined with cytoplasmic projections to increase absorptive surface area. Describe the digestive system of ADULT Trematodes. 1) Similar cytoplasmic projections on intestinal epithelium 2) Diet depends on their location within the host. a. Intestinal flukes feed on material in host’s intestine. b. Liver flukes on bile. c. Blood flukes on erythrocytes. 3) Food is taken in through mouth by pumping action of pharynx. What is the significance