{
  "id": 6606242,
  "title": "In vitro sexual dimorphism establishment in schistosomes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/in-vitro-sexual-dimorphism-establishment-in-schistosomes",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-10T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "eLife",
    "slug": "elife",
    "url": "https://elifesciences.org/articles/111066"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms responsible for the neglected tropical disease Schistosomiasis, which affects over 250 million individuals worldwide. Unlike most flatworms, schistosomes exhibit sexual dimorphism with female (ZW) and male (ZZ) sexes only becoming apparent during adulthood in the mammalian host. The cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this sexual differentiation remain poorly understood due to difficulties in assessing parasite development in vivo.\n\nResearchers have sought robust, reproducible in vitro methods to maintain and develop schistosomes, but few studies have succeeded in producing sexually dimorphic stages, and none have been reliably reproduced. This lack of progress hinders efforts to understand the sexual biology of this significant human parasite.\n\nIn a new study, scientists refined a protocol for long-term culture of newly transformed cercariae in vitro. The researchers tested the impact of adding two different sera, foetal bovine serum (FBS) and human serum (HS), to the culture medium containing red blood cells. Cultured parasites in human serum showed clear sexual dimorphism, although the development was delayed compared to those in FBS. Moreover, cells within the human serum-cultured parasites continuously proliferated in EdU-pulse experiments, while fewer proliferated in FBS-culture.\n\nBy providing a reliable protocol for in vitro development of schistosomes, this research opens new avenues for studying the mechanisms behind sexual dimorphism and screening potential interventions across the parasite's life cycle.",
  "summary": "Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms that cause Schistosomiasis, a major neglected tropical disease that affects more than 250 million people worldwide. With two distinct sexes, a heterogametic female (ZW) and a homogametic male (ZZ), schistosomes are an exception among flatworms, which are largely hermaphroditic. Sexual dimorphism in schistosomes only becomes apparent by adulthood within the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}