sporocysty

Sporocyst refers to a stage in the life cycle of certain parasitic helminths, specifically trematodes (flukes). It is a larval form that develops within the intermediate host, which is typically a mollusk, such as a snail. The sporocyst is essentially a sac-like structure that contains germ cells. These germ cells undergo asexual reproduction, producing daughter sporocysts or rediae, depending on the species. Sporocysts lack a mouth and digestive system and absorb nutrients directly from the host's tissues. The emergence of sporocysts from the intermediate host's body marks a significant part of the parasite's transmission cycle. They are a crucial developmental stage for the propagation of the parasite within the molluskan host before it can infect the definitive host.