Our findings demonstrate that deformation in Hirudo verbana leads to substantial histological and morphological alterations affecting epithelial integrity, muscular organization, secretory functions, and pigmentation patterns. These changes may significantly impact the leeches' biological functionality and therapeutic potential. Further investigation using immunohistochemical techniques and molecular analyses are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these pathological changes.
Yıldız et al. (2026) studied this question.