This scanning electron micrograph of two Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula (approximately 200 x 60 µm) was captured just after mechanical transformation from cercariae (the larval stage infective to humans). These schistosomula form the basis for a medium-throughput screen to identify novel antischistosomals (see article by Abdulla et al. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000478) recently developed at the UCSF Sandler Center. The image presents a ventral view with the anterior end of each animal at top left. The ventral sucker (large depression) is positioned two-thirds of the way from the anterior and the much smaller mouth opening is approximately a quarter of the way down the length of each animal. Note that each schistosomulum is covered with spines that face backward along the parasite, probably to ease entry through the host's skin once attached.
Image Credit: The image was captured using a Novelx mySEM and is provided courtesy of Stephanie Hopkins and Conor Caffrey of the UCSF Sandler Center.
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