Nurse Cell Formation
Dedifferentiation of Muscle Cell, Differentiation of Nurse Cell
Normal striated skeletal muscle. Note contractile elements abut the sarcolemmal membrane. TEM
Muscle cell several days after injection of newborn larvae. Note disruption of cytoplasm near sarcolemmal membrane. TEM
Muscle cell several days after injection of newborn larvae. Note vaculolated host cell mitochondria. TEM
Muscle cell several days after injection of newborn larvae. Note enlarged muscle cell nucleus. TEM
Muscle cell several days after injection of newborn larvae. Note contractile elements in state of disarray. TEM
Muscle cell 8 days after injection of newborn larvae. Note disorganized A-Z complexes. TEM
Mature nurse cell cytoplasm 20 days after injection of newborn larvae. Note lack of contractile elements and presence of whorls of smooth membrane. TEM
Summary of nurse cell nuclear enlargement.
Enlarged muscle nucleus several days after injection of newborn larvae. H&E
Enlarged muscle cell nuclei 8 days after injection of newborn larvae. Note double nucleolus. H&E
Enlarged nurse cell nuclei 12 days after injection of newborn larvae. H&E
Enlarged nurse cell nuclei 12 days after injection of newborn larvae. H&E
Mature nurse cell nuclei 20 days after injection of newborn larvae. Note reticular appearance of nucleoli. N=4 TEM
Angiogenesis
Schematic of nurse cell-parasite complex with intact circulatory rete.
Schematic of circulatory rete surrounding a mature nurse cell. India ink preparation of Pagenstecher, 1865.
Circulatory rete surrounding a mature nurse cell of an infected mouse. Note larvae in nurse cells. India ink prepapartion.
Anatomic plastic cast of mature nurse cells from an infected mouse 30 da post-injection. Circulatory rete is in upper area and normal muscle circulatory system in lower area.
Anatomic plastic cast of mature nurse cells from an infected mouse 30 da post-injection. Note enlarged vessel leading to circulatory rete. Smaller vessels are from normal muscle circulation.
Capsule Formation
Mature nurse cell-parasite complex. The capsule can be seen above the altered muscle cell cytoplasm.
Mature nurse cell-parasite complex stained with PAS to detect collagen. Note that worm cuticle also contains collagen. Paraffin section.
Mature nurse cell-parasite complex stained with antibodies to type IV collagen. Note only the capsule of the nurse cell stains positive. Paraffin section.
Mature nurse cell-parasite complex stained with antibodies to type VI collagen. Note only the capsule of the nurse cell stains positive. Paraffin section.
Northern analysis of types 4 and 6 collagen RNAs in synchronized infected mouse muscle.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 7 days after injection, using a probe for type IV collagen.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 15 days after injection, using a probe for type IV collagen.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 8 months after injection, using a probe for type IV collagen. Note lack of signal.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 24 days after injection, using a probe for type VI collagen.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 9 days after injection, using a probe for type VI collagen.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 15 days after injection, using a probe for type VI collagen.
In situ hybridization of sections from mouse tissue 24 days after injection, using a probe for type VI collagen.
Localization of secreted antigens from L1 during nurse cell formation
Day 7 post-im infection. Stained with anti-tyvelose antibody. Note staining within developing stichosome and cuticular surface of L1.
Day 9 post-im infection. Stained with anti-tyvelose antibody. Note a light staining of the entire cytoplasm of developing nurse cell, and intense staining of nucleopplasm of each enlarged host cell nucleus.
Day 11 post-im infection. Stained with anti-tyvelose antibody. Note same staining pattern as day 9.
Day 18 post-im infection. Stained with anti-tyvelose antibody. Note intense staining of cytoplasm and nucleoplasm of the now fully developed nurse cell.
180 days post-im infection. Stained with anti-tyvelose antibody. Note pattern of staining is the same as n day 18.