The use of a monoclonal antibody to detect parasite induced reduction in vitellin content in the ovaries of Tenebrio molitor

During vitellogenesis, spaces develop in the follicular epithelium, to allow the passage of vitellogenin to the oocyte surface. Infection of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor, with the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, causes a reduction in the patency of the follicle cells and, hence, the vitellin content in the follicles is depleted. By raising a monoclonal antibody against Tenebrio vitellin, we have been able to employ an ELISA protocol, to accurately quantify this reduction in vitellin. Follicles were categorized according to length and the number of days post-infection. It was ascertained that the greatest difference in vitellin content is in small, pre-vitellogenic follicles (< 200 μm), early in the infection (up to 3 days) when vitellin content is 22.5% that of control insects.