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Ultrastructure of Lyonet's gland in the silkworm ( Bombyx mori L.)
Author(s) -
Waku Yoshio,
Sumimoto KenIchi
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051420205
Subject(s) - bone canaliculus , golgi apparatus , biology , endoplasmic reticulum , ultrastructure , microbiology and biotechnology , cytoplasm , vesicle , bombyx mori , salivary gland , duct (anatomy) , secretion , anatomy , membrane , biochemistry , gene
The gland cells of Lyonet's gland, which is accessory to the silk gland in the silkworm larva, is characterized by the presence of complicated canaliculi bearing microvilli on their inner surface, large numbers of mitochondria and remarkably convoluted basal plasma membrane. On the other hand, the cell lacks the well‐developed cytoplasmic membrane system such as rough‐ and smooth‐surfaced endoplasmic reticula and Golgi bodies, though free ribosomes are numerous. Secretory vesicles are absent, and the canaliculi contain no dense material. From such ultrastructural observations, it was suggested that a possible role of the gland may be the exchange of the small molecules such as water and ions, rather than the hitherto supposed secretory role of a cementing sunstance of silk proteins. The lumen of the proximal part of the glandular duct contains a kind of proteinaceous substance which can be demonstrated histochemically and is regarded as similar to one of the silk proteins in the silk gland, not to the real product of the Lyonet's gland.