Sporocysts
Sporocysts
Sporocysts (/spɔːrəsɪsts/), derived from the Greek words "spora" meaning seed and "kystis" meaning bladder, are a form of asexual reproduction in the life cycle of some parasites, particularly within the trematode class of flatworms.
Definition
Sporocysts are the larval form of certain parasites. They are produced from miracidia after they penetrate the snail host. Inside the sporocyst, another larval form, known as rediae, are produced. The sporocysts do not feed but absorb nutrients directly through their body wall from the host's tissues.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of a sporocyst begins when a miracidium penetrates the tissue of a suitable snail host. The miracidium transforms into a sporocyst, which then produces rediae. The rediae leave the sporocyst and produce either more rediae or cercariae. The cercariae leave the snail host and encyst on vegetation or in water to become metacercariae, the infective stage for the definitive host.
Related Terms
- Miracidium: The free-swimming larval form of a trematode, which hatches from the egg and invades the initial host, where it develops into a sporocyst.
- Rediae: The larval form produced within the sporocyst, which can produce either more rediae or cercariae.
- Cercariae: The larval form that emerges from the rediae or sporocyst and leaves the snail host to encyst and become metacercariae.
- Metacercariae: The encysted stage of a trematode, which is ingested by the definitive host to complete the life cycle.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sporocysts
- Wikipedia's article - Sporocysts
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