The Animal Parasites of ManFantham, Harold Benjamin
Science
The Animal Parasites of Man
Fantham, Harold Benjamin
Medical parasitology
Very frequently various substances are deposited in the endoplasm,
such as fatty granules, drops of oil, pigment granules, bubbles of
gas or crystals. More solid skeletal substances are secreted in or
on the ectoplasm. To the latter belong the cuticle of the Sporozoa
and Infusoria, the chalky shells containing one or several chambers
of the Foraminifera, the siliceous and very ornamental framework
of the Radiolaria, and the chitinous coat of many Flagellata,
Infusoria, etc. Some forms make use of foreign bodies found in their
surroundings, such as grains of sand, to construct their protective
coverings.
The food often consists of small animal or vegetable organisms and of
organic waste; it is usually introduced _in toto_ into the endoplasm.
On the other hand, the Suctoria extract nourishment from their prey
by means of their tentacles. Many parasitic species also ingest solid
food, others feed by endosmosis.
In all cases one nucleus at least is present. It is true that the
existence of non-nucleated Protozoa, the so-called _Monera_, is
still insisted upon, but some of these have already proved to be
nucleated, and the presence of nuclei in the others will no doubt be
established. Very often the number of nuclei increases considerably,
but these multinucleate stages are always preceded by uninucleate
stages. In the Infusoria, in addition to the larger or principal
nucleus (macronucleus) there is usually a smaller reproductive
nucleus (micronucleus). This dualism of the nuclear apparatus is
considered by some to be general, and usually to appear first at the
onset of reproduction.
The form and structure of the nucleus vary greatly in different
species. There are elongate, kidney-shaped, or even branched nuclei
as well as spherical or oval ones. In addition to vesicular nuclei
with a distinct karyosome and incidentally also with a nuclear
membrane, homogeneous and more solid formations are frequently
encountered. The nuclei are always differentiated from the protoplasm
by their reactions, particularly in regard to certain stains.
In many Protozoa an extra-nuclear mass, sometimes compact, sometimes
diffuse, arises from or near the nucleus. This mass, whose staining
reactions resemble those of the nucleus, is termed the chromidial
apparatus. On the dualistic hypothesis, two varieties of chromidia
occur, one originating from the vegetative nucleus (macronucleus),
being chromidia in the restricted sense, the other derived from the
reproductive or micronucleus being termed sporetia. Chromidia consist
of altered (? katabolic) nuclear material.
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