Direct evidence that the cuticle surface of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae shares antigenicity with stichocyte alpha-granules and the esophagus-occupying substance.

Antibodies against the cuticle surface of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae were purified by means of immunoaffinity chromatography and incubated with ultrathin sections of muscle larvae. Major constituents of the parasite reactive with the purified antibodies included the cuticle surface, stichocyte alpha-granules, and the esophagus occupying substance of the muscle larvae. Thus the present data suggest that the cuticle surface is an antigenically different entity from the cuticle inner layers and its origin is likely stichocyte alpha-granules.