Skin the tapeworms before you stain their nervous system! A new method for whole-mount immunocytochemistry.

A new method for making whole-mount immunocytochemical preparations of thick-skinned tapeworms is described. The tough tegument of the worms, which is impermeable to primary and secondary antisera, is removed by placing live worms in distilled water for 5-8 h, during which period the tegument is shed. The worms are thereafter fixed and stained as whole specimens using fluorescence immunocytochemical techniques. Both the main nervous structures and the finest neuronal details are revealed by this technique. Several types of antisera combinations are used. Diphyllobothrium dendriticum and Eubothrium crassum served as model organisms in this study.