Abstract

Free amino acid levels in the blood plasma of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni Sambon, 1907, were measured at 3, 6, and 9 weeks post-infection with an automatic amino acid analyzer. Significant differences between experimental and control animals occurred at all three time periods. At 3 weeks, asparagine, alanine, citrulline, proline, methionine, and threonine levels all were lower in the infected animals. At 6 weeks, four differences were noted. Alpha-amino-n-butyric acid, ornithine, lysine, and histidine all had lower values in infected animals. At 9 weeks there were 12 differences. Tyrosine, phenylalanine, threonine, serine, proline, citrulline, glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, and leucine all were higher in concentration, while alpha-amino-n-butyric acid was lower in infected animals. It is hypothesized that the decrease in concentration of the various amino acids at 3 and 6 weeks might be due to active absorption by the parasite, and that the increase in amino acid levels at the 9 week period is due to tissue damage caused by the deposition of eggs in the liver and other tissues of the host.

LLU Discipline

Biology

Department

Biology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Ariel A. Roth

Second Advisor

Elwood S. McCluskey

Third Advisor

Raymond E. Ryckman

Fourth Advisor

Edward D. Wagner

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Level

M.A.

Year Degree Awarded

1967

Date (Title Page)

6-1967

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Schistosoma mansoni; Amino Acids

Type

Thesis

Page Count

vii; 19

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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