The adenylate nucleotide pool in the digestive gland-gonad complex of Biomphalaria glabrata infected by Schistosoma mansoni.

The levels of adenylate nucleotides were examined in the digestive gland and ovotestes of Biomphalaria glabrata during cercarial shedding of Schistosoma mansoni, 10 weeks post-infection. In general, parasitization resulted in decreases in the adenylate levels in both tissues, but the results were not statistically significant. Moreover, the energy charge ratio was not significantly altered. The mean energy charge in ovotestes from uninfected and infected individuals was 0.81 and 0.77, respectively, and that in the digestive gland, 0.70 and 0.66, respectively. Extensive variation was observed in energy charge of digestive gland from infected individuals and this was attributed to possible differences in the degree of infection.