CYTOCHEMICAL-LOCALIZATION OF LECTIN-BINDING TO INTRACELLULARLY MELANIZED FIRST STAGE LARVAE OF BRUGIA-MALAYI (BUCKLEY) (NEMATODA, FILARIOIDEA) IN ANOPHELES-QUADRIMACULATUS (SAY) (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE)

Cytochemical localization of Concanavalin A (Con A) lectin followed by gold-labeled horseradish peroxidase binding to carbohydrate moieties on intracellularly developing normal and melanized first stage (L(1)) larvae of Brugia malayi (Nematoda: Filarioidea) was investigated in th e thoracic muscles of Anopheles quadrimaculatus (Diptera: Culicidae) f emales. Con A did not bind to the carbohydrate moieties on the larval cuticle or in tissues around the normally developing L(1), but bound m oderately to the carbohydrate moieties in the cellular matrix of the l arva. It bound intensely to the carbohydrate moieties of the dense cyt oplasmic material and melanin deposits in the melanized capsule surrou nding the melanized L(1). The results suggest that the dense cytoplasm ic material in the melanized capsule surrounding the L(1) contains mat erials with exposed carbohydrate moieties specific for Con A. Copyrigh t (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.