Proglottid
Proglottid
Proglottid (pronunciation: pro-glot-id) is a term used in the field of Parasitology to describe the individual segments that make up the body of a tapeworm. Each proglottid is a reproductive unit, containing both male and female reproductive organs.
Etymology
The term 'Proglottid' is derived from the Greek words 'pro' meaning 'before' and 'glottis' meaning 'tongue'. This is in reference to the anterior position of the proglottids in relation to the rest of the tapeworm body.
Anatomy
Each proglottid contains a complete set of reproductive organs of both sexes, making them hermaphroditic. The proglottids closest to the head of the tapeworm are immature and contain undeveloped reproductive organs. As the proglottids move further from the head, they mature, and the ones at the end of the tapeworm are the most mature. These mature proglottids are filled with eggs and are often shed in the feces of the host organism.
Related Terms
- Cestoda: The class of parasitic flatworms, commonly known as tapeworms, to which proglottids belong.
- Scolex: The head of a tapeworm, which has suckers or hooks that it uses to attach to the host's intestinal wall.
- Hermaphroditic: An organism that has both male and female reproductive organs.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Proglottid
- Wikipedia's article - Proglottid
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski