| Back to article
Figure 1a: Ventral abdominal skin of Bufo
haematiticus from western Panama. The superficial keratinized layer of
epidermis (stratum corneum) contains numerous intracellular
spherical-to-ovoid sporangia (spore-containing bodies)
of Batrachochytrium sp. The mature sporangia (sp, arrows) are 12-20 µm (n = 25)
in diameter and have refractile walls 0.5-2.0 µm thick.
Most sporangia are empty, having discharged all zoospores, but a
few sporangia contain two to nine zoospores. This stratum
corneum is markedly thickened adjacent to groups of parasitized cells
and in some cases, the superficial layer has become detached.
No chytrids are present in the stratum
spinosum, stratum basale, dermis, dermal glands, and blood vessels. Note the absence
of hyphae and lack of an inflammatory cell response in the
deeper layers of epidermis and the dermis. Hematoxylin and
eosin stain. Bar = 35 µm. 1b. Ventral skin of upper hind limb
of Atelopus varius from western Panama. Two
sporangia containing numerous zoospores are visible within cells of
the stratum corneum. Each flask-shaped sporangium has a
single characteristic discharge tube (arrow) at the skin surface.
Exiting zoospores are visible in the discharge tubes of both
sporangia. Hyperkeratosis is minimal in this acute infection. Tissues
were fixed in neutral-buffered 10% formalin,
paraffin-embedded, sectioned at 6 µm thick and stained with hematoxylin and
eosin. Bar = 35 µm.
|
