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Morphological evidence for probable secreting site for the pheromone “seducin” in males of Nauphoeta cinerea . I. Light microscope studies
Author(s) -
Me Maya
Publication year - 1981
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.1051680209
Subject(s) - biology , arthropod cuticle , cuticle (hair) , epidermis (zoology) , cockroach , vacuole , integument , epithelium , secretion , cell type , basophilic , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , cytoplasm , cell , insect , endocrinology , pathology , botany , biochemistry , medicine , ecology , genetics
Males of the cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea (Olivier), possess a thickened secretory epithelium limited to the inner surfaces of sternites three to seven and tergites two to eight. The epithelium consists of three cell types: 1. large columnar secretory cells, 2. squamous nonsecretory cells, and 3. duct cells. Type 1 cells constitute the innermost layer and contain large nuclei and vacuoles, which are especially prominent in the epidermis of older males. This cell type may be involved in “seducin” secretion. Type 2 cells lie in the narrow basophilic zone which separates the secretory cells from the cuticle. Here, cellular boundaries are poorly defined. Type 3 cells with condensed nuclei are associated with cuticular ductules leading from the epidermis to the exocuticle. The epidermal height in the secretory zone of the sclerites approaches 40–200 μm depending on the age of the male. The changes in appearance of the secretory cells (increase in height and vacuolation) indicate heightened secretory activity. This is supported by the results obtained when extracts of these regions from different aged males are bioassayed for pheromone (Dimeo et al., '78). A striking difference in the morphology of the cuticle and epidermis of the secretory halves of sternite and tergal integument is noticeable.