HISTOCHEMISTRY AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE CRYPT CELLS IN THE DIGESTIVE GLAND OF APLYSIA PUNCTATA (CUVIER, 1803)

The crypt cells lining the Aplysia punctata digestive tubulescomprise of three types of cell; calcium, excretory, and thincells. The calcium cells play a role in osmoregulation, mineral storage,exocrine secretion, iron detoxification, and excretion processes.They possess well- developed microvilli and a basal labyrinth,suggesting a role in absorption. The Golgi apparatus is involvedin the production of two main components of calcium spherules;the fibrillar material and mineralized granules. Golgi complex,rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), ribosomes, and altered mitochondriaare involved in the formation of calcium spherules. Secretoryactivity is indicated by the formation of dense granules containingiron and calcium salts. Lipofuscin pigment has been found inlarge concretions which may arise from cytoplasmic areas surrounded byendoplasmic reticulum, RER and Golgi tubules. There are threestages of excretory cells, called early, mature, and post-excretorycells. This study traces the development of granulofibrillarvacuoles up to the formation of the lipofuscin concretions andshows that excretory cells are in fact degenerating calciumcells. The fine structure of thin cells suggests that they areyoung calcium cells. (Received 29 December 1997; accepted 15 November 1998)     

CYCLIC ACTIVITY AND EPITHELIAL RENEWAL IN THE DIGESTIVE GLAND TUBULES OF THE MARINE PROSOBRANCH MAORICRYPTA MONOXYLA (LESSON)

Three cell types are present in tubules of the digestive glandof the marine prosobranch Maoricrypta monoxyla (Lesson). Histochemistry,and feeding and starvation experiments established that themain type, the digestive cell, is involved in endocytotic uptakeof food material from the lumen. Digestion of this materialoccurs within vacuoles, and indigestible material (indicatedby the dye trypan blue) accumulates in basal residual bodiescontaining lipofuscin pigment. Another cell type, the cryptcell, appears to secrete a glycoprotein, probably enzymaticin function. The third cell type contains large vacuoles butit has not been Established whether the contents are secretoryor excretory. The tubules undergo a cycle of digestive activity not relatedto the tidal cycle as in some marine molluscs, but probablyan indirect result of the feeding regime. The cycle begins withimmature tubules in which some endocytosis occurs. These developinto absorbing tubules involved mainly in food uptake. In maturetubules intracellular digestion occurs. At a later stage thetubules fragment to produce spherules which may conserve usefulmaterial, and finally they, disintegrate completely. Eighty per cent of the dividing cells in the epithelium occurin crypts, which are therefore considered to be the main sitesof epithelial renewal. The processes by which tubules may bereformed after breakdown are discussed (Received 28 September 1978;     

DISTRIBUTION OF METALS IN THE DIGESTIVE GLAND -- GONAD COMPLEX OF THE MARINE GASTROPOD NUCELLA LAPILLUS

The amounts of phosphate, zinc, copper and calcium in gonadmaterial from Nucella lapillus (L.) was higher in males comparedwith females. Water insoluble extracts from the digestive glandwere found to contain granules high in concentrations of phosphate,magnesium, zinc, copper and calcium when compared with watersoluble extracts and both types of extract from gonad tissueof male and female dog whelks. Male N. lapillus contained thehighest amounts of zinc and copper in isolated digestive glandgranules. Intracellular granules containing metal were locatedhistochemically in cells of the digestive gland and visceralhaemocoelic spaces (Received 5 December 1978;     

THE FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF LYONSIA HYALINA CONRAD, 1831 (BIVALVIA: ANOMALODESMATA: PANDOROIDEA)

The anatomy and histology of the digestive tract of the suspensionfeeding bivalve Lyonsia hyalina were examined using microdissectionand conventional light microscopy. Lyonsia hyalina has a typeIV stomach which contains a major typhlosole that does not penetratethe left pouch, as in other members of the Pandoroidea. Theventral and posterior sorting areas of the stomach are sitesof vigorous ciliary activity. The gastric shield is locatedon the left and posterior stomach walls, underlain by tall basophiliccells with microvilli that project into the gastric shield.The style sac and midgut are combined, and contain the morphologicalcell types A-D seen in other bivalves. Many ciliated cells ofthe digestive tract appear to have high densities of apicalmitochondria. The ducts within the digestive diverticula arelined by epithelia containing a conspicuous brush border. Bothcrypt cells and digestive cells exist in the digestive tubules.The presence of numerous fragmentation spherules throughoutthe digestive diverticula indicates that intracellular digestionoccurs there. (Received 21 April 1992; accepted 1 October 1992)     

MONOPHASIC AND DIPHASIC DIGESTIVE CYCLES IN VENERUPIS DECUSSATA AND CHLAMYS VARIA

Feeding and digestive cycles in Chlamys varia and Venerupisdecussata are identified and shown to relate to a tidal cycle.The processes of digestion within the diverticula of the twospecies are very different. The tubules of Venerupis are synchronizedand exhibit a monophasic cycle completed within a twelve-hourperiod, facilitating feeding at the next cycle of the tide.The digestive process of Chlamys requires twenty-four hoursand to accommodate feeding at each twelve-hour tidal cycle thetubules within the diverticula exhibit two different digestivephases simultaneously so that a diaphasic cycle is apparent.The pH of the mantle cavity and regions of the digestive tractand the formation and dissolution of the crystalline style areshown to be related to the tidal cycle. ^*Department of Brewing and Biological Sciences, Heriot-WattUniversity, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HX. (Received 22 March 1978;     

ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES AND PHOSPHATASES IN DIGESTIVE GLAND CELLS OF FEEDING AND HIBERNATING SNAILS, HELIX LUCORUM (GASTROPODA: HELICIDAE)

The digestive gland of normally-fed snails Helix lucorum, aswell as that of snails which had hibernated for 4 months wereexamined by the use of cytochemical techniques for detectionof acid and alkaline phos-phatase, as well as of periodate-reactive(PA-TCH-SP technique), sulfated (HID-TCH-SP technique) and carboxylatedcarbohydrates (LID-TCH-SP technique). The cytochemical resultssupport the hypothesis of intracellular digestion via lysosomalactivity of material taken up by endocytotic processes by thecells of the digestive gland. Four months hibernation did notaffect the intracellular distribution of polysac-charides andphosphatases in the cells of the digestive gland of H. lucorumcompared to that in the control snails. In addition, hibernationaffected the percentage of the calcium cells which significantlyincreased compared to the non-hibernating snails, whiie thepercentages of the digestive and excretory cells remained almoststable. However, the periodate-reactive sulfated and carboxylatedpolysaccharides of the digestive gland cells decreased in thehibernated snails compared to the controls. The results suggestthat the cytochemistry of periodate-reactive, sulfated and carboxylatedpolysaccharides used in the present study could, also, be appliedto the study of lysosomal activities. (Received 1 October 1991; accepted 4 December 1991)     

Structural analysis of the digestive gland of the queen conch Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 and its intracellular parasites

This study describes the structure of the digestive gland ofStrombus gigas in individuals from Guadeloupe and discussesthe function of its cell types and their relationship with intracellularApicomplexa-like parasites. Three cellular types were foundin the epithelium of the blind-ending tubules of the digestivegland according to histological and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) observations; these were: digestive cells, pyramidal cryptcells and vacuolated cells. Columnar digestive cells were characterizedby large Alcian blue-positive granules, which have not beenpreviously described in digestive cells of other caenogastropods.Such granules contain large quantities of proteoglycans thatare exported to the stomach through the physiological destructionof the digestive cells, which undergo a holocrine secretion.Their cytoplasm appears vacuolar due to lipid extraction bysolvents used for tissue preparation. Vacuolated cells alsoappear to be lipid-storage cells. Small triangular-shaped cryptcells, on the other hand, appear to be metabolically activeas suggested by a strong positive in situ hybridization of eukaryoticribosomes, which was confirmed by their large content of ribosomesand rough endoplasmic reticulum compared to the other cell types.These observations suggest that crypt cells may be immaturecells that are involved in the replacement of eliminated digestivecells. However, their spherocrystal inclusions indicate thatthey may be excretory cells or calcium cells. Large brown inclusionswere frequently observed in vacuolated cells; these were identifiedas parasitic protozoans and were present in the digestive glandof all sampled specimens. These protozoans have previously beendescribed from a queen conch population in the San Andres Archipelago(Colombia). Several life cycle stages of the parasite were identifiedby scanning electron microscopy and TEM; trophozoites were characterizedby their conoid-like structure, sporocysts by their thick walls,and gamonts by their thin walls. These observations suggestthat this parasite completes its entire life cycle within thesame host and type of tissue. Although previous investigationsplace this parasite within the Apicomplexa group, further investigationsare necessary in order to confirm the identification of theparasite. (Received 13 May 2008; accepted 3 October 2008)     

A PLANIMETRIC STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY IN THE DIGESTIVE DIVERTICULA OF LITTORINA LITTOREA (LINNAEUS) AND MYTILUS EDULIS LINNAEUS

The inter-and intratubular morphological variability in thedigestive diverticula of Littorina littorea and Mytilus edulishas been investigated by planimetric procedures. Five parametershave been measured: mean epithelial thickness (MET), mean diverticularradius [MDR], mean luminal radius (MLR), MLR/MET ratio and MET/MDRratio. The results indicate that irrespective of the patternof tubule organization within the digestive diverticula (whethertubule types are clustered or not), variability between individualsis greater than that between zones of the digestive gland. Thishas implications for the design of sampling strategies in investigationsof the morphology of digestive diverticula in physiologicaland pathological studies. The variability in the epithelialthickness within diverticular sections is of minor relevancein assessing the overall condition of the digestive gland inthese studies, because variability in epithelial thickness betweentubules is significantly greater than within tubules in bothspecies. (Received 10 March 1989; accepted 16 October 1989)     

FINE STRUCTURE CHANGES DURING FUNCTION OF THE DIGESTIVE GLAND OF VENUS'S-FLYTRAP

Changes in the structure of the digestive gland cells of Venus's-flytrap during the digestive process have been studied with light and electron microscopy. Large vacuolar lipid-protein inclusions break up and become smaller; however, they never completely disappear during the entire 7-10-day cycle. Dictyosomes in the resting digestive gland are associated with small, inconspicuous vesicles, whereas during the digestive cycle two types of prominent vesicles are observed on the peripheral tubules. Changes in plastid fine structure are complex and involve the disappearance of lipid globules and the tubular complex, followed by the formation of microtubules on the thylakoids and cisternae on the outer plastid membrane. Mitochondrial fine structure changes from the small cristae and light matrix of the resting state to large cristae and a very dense matrix representative of a change to a state where phosphorylation is tightly coupled to electron transport. Pronounced changes which occur in the cell envelope (cell wall and membrane taken together) are apparently associated with secretion of the digestive fluid. Numerous other changes are observed such as polysome formation, multivesicular body formation, mitochondria division, and changes which can be attributed in general to elevated cell activity.     

Interactions between epithelial nitric oxide signaling and phosphodiesterase activity in Drosophila

Signaling by nitric oxide (NO) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) modulates fluid transport in Drosophila melanogaster. Expression of an inducible transgene encoding Drosophila NO synthase (dNOS) increases both NOS activity in Malpighian (renal) tubules and DNOS protein in both type I (principal) and type II (stellate) cells. However, cGMP content is increased only in principal cells. DNOS overexpression results in elevated basal rates of fluid transport in the presence of the phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, Zaprinast. Direct assay of tubule cGMP-hydrolyzing phosphodiesterase (cG-PDE) activity in wild-type and dNOS transgenic lines shows that cG-PDE activity is Zaprinast sensitive and is elevated upon dNOS induction. Zaprinast treatment increases cGMP content in tubules, particularly at the apical regions of principal cells, suggesting localization of Zaprinast-sensitive cG-PDE to these areas. Potential cross talk between activated NO/cGMP and calcium signaling was assessed in vivo with a targeted aequorin transgene. Activated DNOS signaling alone does not modify either neuropeptide (CAP_2b)- or cGMP-induced increases in cytosolic calcium levels. However, in the presence of Zaprinast, both CAP_2b-and cGMP-stimulated calcium levels are potentiated upon DNOS overexpression. Use of the calcium channel blocker, verapamil, abolishes the Zaprinast-induced transport phenotype in dNOS-overexpressing tubules. Molecular genetic intervention in the NO/cGMP signaling pathway has uncovered a pivotal role for cell-specific cG-PDE in regulating the poise of the fluid transporting Malpighian tubule via direct effects on intracellular cGMP concentration and localization and via interactions with calcium signaling mechanisms. Malpighian tubule; cGMP; calcium; aequorin; CNG channel     

银鲳消化道形态与组织学结构特征及其消化酶活性

为了解银鲳(Pampus argenteus)消化道结构特点与其功能及食性的相关性, 采用解剖、石蜡切片、AB-PAS染色及酶活性检测技术对银鲳消化道的形态、组织结构、黏液细胞分布及消化酶活性进行研究。结果显示, 银鲳的消化道由口咽腔(舌)、食道侧囊、食道、胃及肠构成, 胃肠交界处有很多幽门盲囊。食道侧囊呈椭球形, 食道粗短, 胃呈U型, 肠有多个盘曲, 肠指数为2.03。舌上皮内有少量味蕾及较多黏液细胞。食道侧囊、食道、胃及肠均由黏膜层、黏膜下层、肌层及浆膜组成。食道侧囊内皱襞较发达, 被覆复层扁平上皮, 内含较多黏液细胞, 且以Ⅳ型为主, 皱襞顶端及侧面有内含角质刺的次级突起; 黏膜下层及肌层中有固定皱襞的骨质脚根; 侧囊内胃蛋白酶活性较高。食道内皱襞较高, 被覆复层扁平上皮, 内含较多黏液细胞, 且以Ⅳ型为主。胃内皱襞发达, 被覆单层柱状上皮, 未见黏液细胞分布; 胃腺发达, 胃内蛋白酶活性较高。肠道内褶襞多, 高度呈先下降后上升趋势, 黏液细胞密度前、中肠较高, 后肠较低, 且均以Ⅰ型为主; 肠道内胰蛋白酶、脂肪酶、淀粉酶及碱性磷酸酶活性较高。幽门盲囊组织结构与肠相似。银鲳的消化道结构特点、黏液细胞分布及消化酶活性与其功能及偏肉食的杂食性相适应。     

Neuropepride Regulators of Insect Corpora Allata

SYNOPSIS. Neuropeptides of the insect brain that regulate juvenilehormone synthesis by the corpora allata include allatotropins,stimulatory modulators, and allatostatins, inhibitory modulators.A radiochemical assay for juvenile hormone synthesis by corporaallata in vitro was utilized in the high pressure liquid chromatographicisolation of brain neuropeptides leading to the determinationof their primary structure. Identified are an allatotropin andan allatostatin from a Lepidopteran, Manduca sexta, and a familyof five allatostatins from a Dictyopteran, Diploptera punctata.These neuropeptides are all unique, effective at low concentration(10^–10 to 10^–8 M), act quickly (within hrs) andappear to be effective only within the same order of insectsas that from which the peptides were isolated. The physiologicalstate of the corpora allata conditions the effectiveness ofthe allatostatins of D. punctata. These neuropeptide regulatorsof corpora allatal function may have multiple regulatory roles.This is indicated for D. punctata allatostatin I by specificreceptors in brain and fat body as well as in corpora allatalmembrane preparations, and also by immunocytochemical localizationof allatostatin I in medial nerve cells that terminate withinthe brain as well as in the lateral neurosecretory cells thatterminate on corpus allatum cells.     

菲牛蛭消化系统的组织学和组织化学研究

利用解剖、HE和AB-PAS染色技术研究了菲牛蛭消化系统的形态结构及组织化学特征。结果表明, 菲牛蛭消化系统由消化管和单细胞唾液腺组成。消化管包括口、咽、食道、嗉囊、肠、直肠和肛门。口开孔于前吸盘腹中部, 口腔内有3片呈三角形排列的颚片, 颚片由辐射肌和横纹肌构成, 其脊上具单列细齿, 可切开寄主皮肤。单细胞唾液腺开口于颚片两侧的乳突上, 可分泌蛭素; 咽呈短球形, 由黏膜层、肌层和外膜构成,肌层发达; 食道短而窄, 黏膜层见少量杯状细胞和大量嗜酸性颗粒; 嗉囊两侧有10对侧盲囊, 最后一对侧盲囊最长且延伸至肛门两侧; 肠部尚无明显分化, 可细分为肠和直肠。肠前段腔内有多个盲囊状的细管, 形成 肠内盲囊, 黏膜层具较多腺细胞, 黏膜下层发达, 具丰富的血管和淋巴细胞; 直肠肠腔明显大于肠的肠腔, 褶皱高度明显比肠的低, 上皮细胞间可见少量杯状细胞。AB-PAS染色结果显示菲牛蛭消化管黏液细胞有4种类型: Ⅰ型被染成红色, Ⅱ型被染成蓝色, Ⅲ型染成紫红色, Ⅳ型染成蓝紫色。口腔部黏液细胞分布以Ⅳ型和Ⅲ型为主, 少量Ⅱ型与Ⅰ型黏液细胞, 咽部以Ⅲ型为主, 食道、嗉囊、肠前部以及直肠壁均无酸性和中性黏液细胞存在, 肠中后部以Ⅰ型为主, 肛门壁存在大量的Ⅱ型黏液细胞。讨论了菲牛蛭消化管结构特点与食性的关系等问题, 发现肠是菲牛蛭整个消化管最主要的消化和吸收场所, 且消化管特殊的结构特征决定了菲牛蛭主要以血液作为食物来源。     

ASSESSMENT OF BIVALVE INTRACELLULAR DIGESTION BASED ON DIRECT MEASUREMENTS

Two methods of studying intracellular digestive state in bivalvemolluscs, (1) the subjective tubule grading technique and (2)an alternative method based on measurements of digestive tubuleand luminal widths, were compared using data from a starvation/feedingexperiment on the quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria (L.). Measurementsof digestive cell heights or lumen widths could not be directlycompared due to differences in tubule widths within and betweenindividuals (range = 56.6 to 77.4 µm; X = 63.0; SD 4.8(µm) which were unrelated to quahog length. Instead, themean proportion of the tubule width (MPTW) covered by digestivecell cytoplasm was used for comparisons between samples of animals.MPTW covaried directly with the subjectively established proportionof Type II tubules (r = 0.882). The inclusion of data from obliquesections of digestive tubules did not unduly affect statisticalresults . Of 4 sampling schemes compared, a systematic samplingscheme in which measurements were made on only one digestivegland tubule within an area containing a cluster of similartubule types, was shown to be best. ¹Contribution No. 105, Marine Science Institute, NortheasternUniversity, Nahant, MA., 01908 ²Current address: New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston,MA, 02110 USA (Received 28 September 1981;     

TRANSPORT OF UNCONTAMINATED AND MOLLUSCICIDE-CONTAINING FOOD IN THE DIGESTIVE TRACT OF THE SLUG DEROCERAS RETICULATUM (MULLER)

By X-ray analysis of food transport in the alimentary tractof Deroceras reticulatum it was shown that even ten hours afteringestion of a thorium sulfate-containing bait, this materialcan be detected in the crop. After 2.5 h, some parts of labelledfood passes down from the anterior to the posterior part ofthe gut. After 13 h, thorium sulfate-containing material canbe observed only in the gut. After 19 h, no more labelled materialis present in the alimentary tract of the animals. After addition of Cloethocarb, the animals feed on only smallamounts of food. The labelled material only enters the anteriorpart of the gut. After ten hours, the food does not move anymore and does not leave the crop even 19 h after feeding. After molluscicide application, the crop epithelium is moreinfolded than in control animals and the cells are elongated.After 30 h, cells protrude into the lumen of the digestive tract. (Received 11 May 1992; accepted 26 June 1992)     

THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY CALCIUM ON THE TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF Cu, Zn, Mg & P AND HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE DIGESTIVE GLAND CELLS OF THE SNAIL ACHATINA FULICABOWDICHM

Dietary calcium had a varying effect on the concentration ofother metals located in the tissues and excreted in the faeces.Faecal phosphate, copper and zinc concentrations decreased withincreased dietary calcium but showed a peak of excretion 10–12weeks after the beginning of the experiment, while the totalamounts of the studied elements lost in the faeces increased.Phosphate values in the digestive gland of snails on calcium-supplementeddiets were lower than metal values found in control snails.Although the digestive gland magnesium concentrations were alwayslower and copper levels higher than the snails on the omnivorousdiet, the trend was for a decrease in tissue magnesium and copperwith increased calcium in the diet. In foot tissue, the trendwas towards a decrease in Mg with decreased dietary calcium.The zinc concentration in the digestive gland and foot of snailson the omnivorous diet was not different from the zinc levelsin snails on the three highest calcium-supplemented diets. Itis suggested that high levels of dietary calcium might act asan environmental stressor characterised by changes in the morphologyand histo-chemistry of the digestive tubules. (Received 14 August 1991; accepted 10 October 1991)     

The tidal rhythm of feeding and digestion in the pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg)

A study has been made of the processes of extra- and intracellular digestion in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) over two 24-h cycles in winter and summer.The results show that the digestive processes are discontinuous and related to the tidal cycle. Variations in tidal height resulting from a diurnal inequality of the tide affect both the relative dissolution of the crystalline style and the relative lengths of the constituent phases of the intracellular digestive process in the digestive diverticula. On a seasonal basis the style is present for a greater length of time in winter and, conversely, remains dissolved longer in summer. A seasonal variation in the structure of the digestive tubules has also been found.The results confirm conclusions reached earlier that the processes of extracellular digestion in the stomach and intracellular digestion in the digestive diverticula of intertidal bivalves are both discontinuous, alternate, and irrevocably interrelated since breakdown of the digestive cells of the digestive diverticula following intracellular digestion results in the dissolution of the crystalline style. The arrival of food in the stomach has a minimal effect upon the style. Moreover, the cytological structure of the digestive diverticula of C. gigas undergoes a series of synchronized changes related to the tidal cycle.     

Morphofunctional changes of the digestive gland in the bivalve mollusk Crenomytilus grayanus (Dunker, 1853) in normal conditions and after parasitic invasion by trematodes

Specifics of the digestive cycle were studied in normal individuals of Gray’s mussel Crenomytilus grayanus and in those infested by trematodes from an unpolluted area of the sublittoral zone of Peter the Great Bay in May (during the day), June, July, and August. Four types of tubules corresponding to four phases of the digestive cycle were identified, and three varieties of destructing tubules were distinguished. It was shown that normally phases of absorption and digestion prevailed in the digestive gland. The portion of absorptive tubules (type II) was 95% in spring and 79% in summer. The total portion of destructing and restoring tubules (types III and IV) did not exceed 10% in spring and 20% in summer, and portion of tubules at the initial condition (type I) was 4% in spring and 2% in summer. During the day, insignificant variations in the ratio of different type tubules were recorded. It was revealed that, normally, granulocytomes were formed during utilization of necrotic tubules. Parasitic invasion of trematodes entailed swelling of the gland and a change in the proportion of tubules: the number of absorptive tubules decreased to 20%, the number of destructing and restoring tubules increased up to 60% and 12%, respectively.     

Heat tolerance in Mediterranean land snails: histopathology after exposure to different temperature regimes

The physiological and biochemical adaptation mechanisms of heat-tolerantsnail species are poorly known. We investigated cellular adaptationsto heat stress in four heat-exposed snail populations (two ofXeropicta derbentina, one each of Cernuella virgata and Thebapisana). Snails were exposed to different temperature regimes(25, 33, 38, 40, 43, 45, 48, 50 and 52°C) in the laboratoryfor 8 h. After exposure, immobility rates were determined anda qualitative and semi-quantitative histopathological analysisof the digestive gland (calcium and digestive cells) and mucocytesin the foot was conducted. In addition, the coloration of theshells was densitometrically determined. The shells of T. pisanawere significantly darker than the shells of the other populations.The immobility rates and histopathological examinations showedthat X. derbentina (both populations) was slightly better adaptedto heat than C. virgata, and much better adapted than T. pisana.The observed differences in heat tolerance seemed to be connectedto the ability for rapid and extreme proliferation of calciumcells in the digestive gland. (Received 26 November 2007; accepted 25 July 2008)     

小地老虎雄性附腺细微结构和功能及高温的影响

本文通过光镜、电镜和生化分析等方法,研究了小地老虎Agrotis ypsilon(Rottemberg)雄性附腺的细微结构和功能,结果表明：(1)雄性附腺是一对管状腺,基段粉红色,中段桔红色,端段乳白色。形态分化在蛹前期完成,分泌功能在羽化后4天进入旺盛期;(2)附腺细胞属蛋白质合成型,具有旺盛的合成蛋白质的能力,胞内含有致密的粗面内质网和游离核糖体颗粒,大量的分泌液泡均匀地分布在细胞质中;(3)顶浆分泌和局部分泌是腺体的二种主要分泌方式, 前者分泌的颗粒物为糖蛋白性质(Pas阳性),后者吩泌的网状物为非糖蛋白性质(Pas阴性),二者在腺腔内呈有规则的放射状排列“4”雄性附腺分泌物具有种的特异性,小地老虎、棉铃虫和粘虫等夜蛾科昆虫分泌物的蛋白电泳谱带存在明显的种间差异,高温(32℃)抑制了雄性附腺分泌某些蛋白质的能力,从而改变精液的成分。