THE USE OF A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY TO DETECT PARASITE-INDUCED REDUCTIONIN VITELLIN CONTENT IN THE OVARIES OF TENEBRIO-MOLITOR

During vitellogenesis, spaces develop in the follicular epithelium, to allow the passage of vitellogenin to the oocyte surface. Infection of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor, with the rat tapeworm, Hymen olepis diminuta, causes a reduction in the patency of the follicle cel ls and, hence, the vitellin content in the follicles is depleted. By r aising a monoclonal antibody against Tenebrio vitellin, we have been a ble to employ an ELISA protocol, to accurately quantify this reduction in vitellin. Follicles were categorized according to length and the n umber of days post-infection. It was ascertained that the greatest dif ference in vitellin content is in small, pre-vitellogenic follicles (< 200 mu m), early in the infection (up to 3 days) when vitellin content is 22.5% that of control insects.