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The effect of worm, age, weight and number in the infection on the absorption of glucose by Hymenolepis diminuta

Summary In Hymenolepis diminuta the in vitro rate of absorption of glucose/unit dry weight of worm falls with increasing worm age, with increasing worm weight and as the number of worms in an infection is increased. In a 6 mM solution of glucose, a 5 mg (dry weight) worm from a 7 or 8 worm infection absorbed 80 µmoles/g dry weight/5 min whereas a 60 mg worm, also from a 7 or 8 worm infection, absorbed only 35µmoles/g dry weight/5 min. This change in the rate of absorption is, at least partly, thought to be due to changes in the relative surface area: weight ratio during growth of the worm. The kinetic parameter, Kt glucose, increased from 1.1 mM for a 5 mg (dry weight) worm from a 7 or 8 worm infection to 2 mM for a 60 mg worm. This change in the functioning of the glucose transport system may indicate that there are two components of the glucose transport system – or two separate systems – one with a low Kt and one with a high Kt, the ratios of which change during worm growth. The smaller the number of worms in an infection the greater the rate of glucose absorption. Using 8–day–old worms in a 6 mM glucose solution, 1 worm from a single worm infection absorbs 111 μmoles/g dry weight/5 min, 1 worm from a 7 or 8 worm infection absorbs 88 μmoles/g dry weight/5 min and 1 worm from a 45–50 worm infection absorbs 77 μmoles/g dry weight/5min. The significance of this is discussed with reference to the ‘crowding effect’ in tapeworms.