Hormonal Control of Vitellogenin Uptake in Rhodnius prolixus Stal

SYNOPSIS. In Rhodnius, vitellogenesis is characterized by theappearance of large spaces between the cells of the follicularepithelium, a condition which is called patency. Patency isa response to juvenile hormone (JH) secreted by the corpus allatum.JH brings about an increase in patency by causing the folliclecells to shrink, an effect which may be mediated by (Na⁺-K⁺)ATPase. Follicle cells which have differentiated in the absenceof JH fail to respond to JH with an increase in patency. Thefollicle cells are also affected by an andgonadotropin fromneurosecretory cells in the abdomen. This anti-JH antagonizesthe patency-inducing action of JH.