title: The production and functional morphology of helminth egg-shells.
abstract: The high energy costs of egg-shell production in many helminths suggests that this structure plays an important role in their biology. The mechanical and chemical resistance of the egg-shell and the barrier it provides to the entry and loss of material are important in the survival of the free-living stages within the egg. The presence of egg filaments may increase the availability of infective stages and the operculum may be important in the infective process.
mesh_terms: D000049:Acanthocephala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000502:physiology*; D002686:Chitin / Q000032:analysis; D003890:Desiccation; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D009348:Nematoda / Q000502:physiology*; D010063:Ovum / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010539:Permeability; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014200:Trematoda / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D002686:Chitin