Scope a1

The optical microscope (Scope A1 from ZEISS, SLMPLN50× from Olympus, NA = 0.35) measurements were taken with the solution or the dried fibers on the glass slides.
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements were taken on JEOL JSM6700F or Hitachi S-4800 field-emission scanning electron microscopes. The samples with the gold coating were transferred onto the microscope stage and examined at 10 kV.
The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images were obtained on a JEOL JEM-1400 transmission electron microscope (120 kV). A drop of the dispersed solution of the samples was dropped onto a TEM grid (a copper grid with a 200 mesh) and then dried for observation. Images were recorded with a Gatan multiscan charge-coupled device (CCD) for the collection and processing of digital micrographs.
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements were performed at DSC 822e (Piscataway, NJ, USA) with a scanning speed of 10 °C·min⁻¹ over 50–800 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere.
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were carried out on a VERTEX-70/70v FT-IR spectrometer (Bruker Optics, Germany) using a KBr pellet method.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were completed on a DMAX-2500PC diffractometer with Cu Kα radiation (λ = 0.15418 nm) and a graphite monochromator. Samples were examined within 1–30° in the 2θ mode at a speed of 1° min⁻¹.

CHO cells expressing Hm3A4-Rap were grown on glass slides for approximately 24 h and then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, permeabilized with 0.2% Triton X-100, and blocked in PBS containing 10% calf serum. The cells were then stained with TRITC-conjugated anti-mouse Fab specific IgG antibody (T7782, diluted 1:200; Sigma) and FITC-conjugated goat anti-human IgG Fc antibody (GAHFc FITC) (Invitrogen) for 1 h in the dark. This was followed by incubation with DAPI (Invitrogen) nucleic acid (nuclear) staining for 1 min in the dark. The cells were visualized and imaged using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy (Carl Zeiss Scope.A1, Oberkochen, GER). Non-transfected CHO cells were used as the negative control. The expression of Hm3A4-Rap in CHO cells was detected by immunofluorescence microscopy. The ScFv3A4 fragment was detected using GAM-Fab-TRITC and the Fc fragment was detected using GAH-Fc-FITC [28 (link)].

Tissue slides were deparaffinized with xylene and hydrated with graded ethanol solutions. Antigen retrieval was performed using citrate buffer, pH 6.0 (Bethyl Laboratories, Montgomery, TX) and incubation for 1 h in a 73^°C water bath. The slides were blocked with 2% bovine serum albumin in PBS, and immunostained overnight at 4^°C. Primary antibodies were rabbit anti-matriptase (Calbiochem/EMD Millipore, San Diego, CA), rabbit anti-c-Met (Leica Microsystems Inc., Buffalo Grove, IL), and mouse anti-E-cadherin (Pharmingen/BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA). As negative controls, non-immune mouse IgG (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) or non-immune rabbit IgG (NeoMarkers, Fremont, CA) were used. Bound antibodies were visualized using biotin-conjugated anti-rabbit or anti-mouse (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA) secondary antibodies and a Vectastain ABC kit (Vector Laboratories). 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) was used as substrate (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) and arrays were counterstained with hematoxylin. All microscopic images were acquired on a Zeiss Scope A.1 using digital imaging.

At the end of each experiment, the parasites were transferred to slides bounded
by small amounts of petroleum jelly to prevent the parasites from spilling out
from the slide. The parasites were placed on the slides with a small amount of
culture medium and then were observed with an optical fluorescence microscope
(Zeiss Axio^® Scope A1, Axio Vision LE software) using a rhodamine
filter for resorufin (excitation/maximum emission of resorufin 571/585 nm) and
DAP for Hoechst 33258 (Hoechst 352/455 nm maximum excitation/emission) to
evaluate the damage caused to the excretory system and to the integument of
S. mansoni, respectively, as described by Castro et al.
[19 (link)].