Fig. 2

SmVAL4 and 24 transcripts localization in the pre-acetabular glands of germ ball stages by WISH. Germ ball stages of S. mansoni were analyzed using SmVAL4 (a-e) and SmVAL24 (h-l) DIG-labeled probes in the following stages: small round germ ball (a, h); stubby tailed stage (b, i); elongating immature stage (c, j); immature cercariae (d, k) and mature cercariae (e, l). The schematic drawing of a cercaria shows the two pairs of pre-acetabular glands with acetabular ducts (Pre-AG), the three pairs of post-acetabular glands (Pos-AG), the acetabulum (AC), the head capsule (HC), the gut primordium (GP) and the head gland (HG) (f). SmVAL7 probe was used for gut primordium visualization in mature cercariae using fast red substrate and confocal microscopy (g) as previously described [18]. SmVAL4 sense DIG-labeled probe was used as a negative control (m, n). Color was developed for 90 min. Scale-bars: 50 μm