Fig. 3
From: In vivo and in vitro efficacy of crocin against Echinococcus multilocularis
a–f Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of E. multilocularis metacestodes treated with crocin. a Normal metacestode structure. The outermost LL, tegument (Te) and inner GL are clearly discernible. Metacestode vesicles were cultured without crocin treatment for 5 days and processed for TEM. Blue arrows indicate microtriches that originate at the Te and protrude into the LL. uc Undifferentiated cells, mi mitochondria, nuc nucleus. b Metacestodes treated with 2.5 μM crocin. Microtriches (blue arrows) are still intact. Undifferentiated cells and mi exhibit similar morphology to the metacestode not treated with crocin. c, d Metacestodes treated with 5 μM crocin. The GL is separated from the Te (indicated by white asterisks). The cytoplasm of GL cells was filled with electron-dense deposits (marked by a red box), and vacuoles containing membrane stacks (ms) resembling autophagosomes (ApB) were visible. e, f Metacestodes treated with 10 μM crocin. The GL structure was obviously damaged. A few small undifferentiated cells were observed. a–d, f Scale bar = 1 μm; e scale bar = 2 μm. For other abbreviations, see Fig. 1