Analysis of the Morphology of Monocytes and Lymphocytes from COVID-19 Patients Using Low-Voltage Scanning Electronic Microscopy.

Severe course of COVID-19 is largely determined by hyperactivation of the immune system, or cytokine storm, in which immune cells (lymphocytes, monocytes, etc.) play a major role. Using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy, we studied the morphology of lymphocytes and monocytes during cytokine storm.

Reduced infectivity in (Trematoda, Himasthlidae) cercariae with deviant photoreaction.

Digenean larvae of hermaphroditic generation - cercariae - are known to be polymorphic at genetic and behavioural levels. Cercariae arise as a result of parthenogenetic reproduction of intramolluscan stages, and represent a clone if a snail was infected with a single miracidium. Here we investigated cercarial clones of Himasthla elongata - namely, the infectivity of cercariae with normal (negative) and deviant (positive) photoreaction.

Genomic diversity of cercarial clones of Himasthla elongata (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae) determined with AFLP technique.

The aim of this study was to reveal genomic diversity formed during parthenogenetic reproduction of rediae of the trematode Himasthla elongata in its molluskan host Littorina littorea. We applied amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to determine the genomic diversity of individual cercariae within the clone, that is, the infrapopulation of parthenogenetic progeny in a single molluskan host. The level of genomic diversity of particular cercariae isolates from a single clone, detected with EcoR1/Mse1 AFLP reaction, was significantly lower than the variability of cercariae from different clones.

[Line class retroposon is the component of the DNA polymorphic fragments pattern of trematode Himasthla elongata parthenitae].

We have determined that S-SAP method (Sequence specific amplification polymorphism) reveals clonal variability in the genomes of larvae of flatworm Himasthla elongata (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae). Being parthenogenetic the larvae were previously considered to be genetically homogeneous. Cloning and sequencing of a -500 bp conservative fragment (B1) from the fragments' pattern has been performed.