Studies on Vitelline Cells of Monogenea

I. Morphology of vitelline cells of Pricea multae

Abstract

Morphology of living vitellocytes isolated from the vitellaria of the monogenetic trematode Pricea multae was studied under phase contrast. Six different classes of vitellocytes were recognized and a nomenclature was proposed on the basis of morphological characters. It is suggested that the provitellocyte may be the precursor of the other vitellocytes, and the cell types may not represent different stages of development. The observations made on the vitellocytes of starved animals indicate that the cells may have more than one function.