Studies on the Morphology and Growh Rate of the Cestode Hymenolepis Microstoma After Gamma Irradiation of the Cysticercoids and Eggs

From the literature on effects of radiation on mammals, insects, and other organisms, it appears that radiation produces abnormalities chiefly by destroying or inhibiting growing cells and tissues. The effects on length of the worms may be due to reduction in cell population responsible for growth. The presence of certain morphological abnormalities which have been observed, particularly those which have been characterized by the absence of one or more reproductive organs, might also be attributed to a change in the growth or embryological apparatus and that radiation only serves to increase the frequency of these disturbances.

For further similar studies involving this species, it is recommended that all cestodes used for analysis be recovered from mice just before the cestodes begin expelling eggs, which is thirteen to fourteen days after infecting the mice with mature cysticercoids.