Neuromuscular physiology of Hymenolepis diminuta and H. microstoma (Cestoda)

The physiology of the neuromuscular systems in Hymenolepis diminuta and H. microstoma was studied in vitro using intact, adult worm and strips of worm body wall. Intact worms were insensitive to ionic changes in the in vitro buffering system. However, strips of body wall containing longitudinal muscles were extremely sensitive to ionic manipulation. In intact worms tension generated in the strobila had two components; small brief tension peaks up to 500 mg amplitude are superimposed on larger, longer peaks of up to 1200 mg amplitude. Removal of the scolex and neck region either failed to show significant changes in tension, or showed a reduction in amplitude but not of frequency. Muscle contraction of both H. diminuta and H. microstoma were qualitatively similar. In split-worm preparations the concentration of Ca2+ in the bathing solution significantly affected both spontaneous and evoked contractions in H. diminuta and H. microstoma; the addition of CaCl2 greatly reduced the amplitude and frequency of the contractions. The chloride salts of cobalt, barium, cadmium and manganese elicited prolonged contractions of the longitudinal musculature of both H. diminuta and H. microstoma. While CoCl2 was the most effective in stimulating muscle contraction, the magnitude of the response varied with the concentration of Ca2+ in the bath. The results indicate that peripheral inhibition is extremely important in cestode motor control and that extracellular calcium ions may regulate the peripheral inhibitory mechanisms.