| Abstract: | Summary Histochemical studies have been carried out on the composition of feltwork and tubule in the spermathecal gland cells of Dytiscus marginalis L.These extracellular structures represent the secretion-collecting apparatus of the cells of the spermathecal gland, through which the secretion passes externally into the lumen of the spermatheca.The presence of a particular protein, resilin, also called arthropod elastin, at the level of the tubule and the feltwork, and of neutral polysaccharides present only in the feltwork have been demonstrated.Special consideration is given to the silver-methenamine reaction, the results of which have been interpreted in terms of the amino-acid composition of resilin itself.The behavior of this reaction, as a function of the type of fixation solution employed, is also discussed. |
