01636nas a2200181   4500008004100000020001400041245011400055210006900169300001200238490000700250520106700257100001701324700001501341700002001356700001601376700001601392856004601408       1995                        eng d  a1164-557100aPRESENCE OF PERITROPHIC-LIKE MEMBRANES IN THE INTESTINE OF 3 BACTERIOPHAGOUS NEMATODES (NEMATODA, RHABDITIDA)0 aPRESENCE OF PERITROPHICLIKE MEMBRANES IN THE INTESTINE OF 3 BACT  a227-2330 v183 aUltrastructural analysis shows the presence of membranes originating at the top of the intestinal microvilli, along the entire length of the intestine in the three rhabditid nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans, Panagrolaimus superbus and Acrobeloides maximus. The membranes allow the passage of fluorescein isothiocyanate, methyl red, neutral red and acridine orange, but allow only sparse passage of ferritin molecules. Upon the introduction of a sublethal dose of sodium azide, the intestinal lumen displays an increased secretion of membrane layers. Whole mount staining of the nematodes with the Solanum tuberosum and Triticum vulgare lectins, known to bind with high affinity to chitin, shows only specific binding of Solanum tuberosum lectin to the brush border in all developmental stages of C. elegans, P. superbus and A. maximus. The results reveal the presence of membranes in the intestine of three species of one of the most ancient metazoan phyla, exhibiting morphological and functional characteristics reminiscent of peritrophic membranes in insects.1 aBorgonie, G.1 aClaeys, M.1 aVanfleteren, J.1 aDeWaele, D.1 aCoomans, A.  uhttps://nematodes.myspecies.info/node/276