Fine structure of the corpus allatum of the female blow-fly Calliphora erythrocephala

Ellen Thomsen; Mathias Thomsen

doi:10.1007/bf00343984

Oxygen Consumption of Castrated Females of the Blow-Fly, Calliphora Erythrocephala Meig

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.32.4.692 ◽

1955 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 692-699

Author(s):

ELLEN THOMSEN ◽

KIRSTEN HAMBURGER

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Oxygen Uptake ◽

Corpus Allatum ◽

Blow Fly ◽

Calliphora Erythrocephala ◽

Rate Of Oxygen Consumption ◽

The Individual

1. The oxygen uptake of castrated females of Calliphora was measured and found to be of the same order as that of the ‘operated controls’, i.e. females operated upon in the same way except that their ovaries were not removed. This result confirms the conclusion drawn from previous experiments (Thomsen, 1949), viz. that the influence of the corpus allatum on the oxygen consumption works independently of the presence or absence of the ovaries. 2. However neither in castrated nor in normal females could any correlation be found between the size of the individual corpus allatum and the rate of oxygen consumption of the fly.

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Fine Structure of the Malpighian Tubules of the Mosquito, Culex pipiens

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010006605x ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 402-403

Author(s):

Brendan Clifford

Keyword(s):

Fine Structure ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Stellate Cell ◽

Malpighian Tubule ◽

Cell Types ◽

Instar Larva ◽

Malpighian Tubules ◽

Calliphora Erythrocephala ◽

Distinct Cell ◽

Basal Plasma

An ultrastructural investigation of the Malpighian tubules of the fourth instar larva of Culex pipiens was undertaken as part of a continuing study of the fine structure of transport epithelia.Each of the five Malpighian tubules was found to be morphologically identical and regionally undifferentiated. Two distinct cell types, the primary and stellate, were found intermingled along the length of each tubule. The ultrastructure of the stellate cell was previously described in the Malpighian tubule of the blowfly, Calliphora erythrocephala by Berridge and Oschman.The basal plasma membrane of the primary cell is extremely irregular, giving rise to a complex interconnecting network of basal channels. The compartments of cytoplasm entrapped within this system of basal infoldings contain mitochondria, free ribosomes, and small amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum. The mitochondria are distinctive in that the cristae run parallel to the long axis of the organelle.

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Influence of Neurosecretory Cells and of Corpus Allatum on Intestinal Protease Activity in the Adult Calliphora Erythrocephala MEIG

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.40.2.301 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 301-321

Author(s):

ELLEN THOMSEN ◽

IB MØLLER

Keyword(s):

Protein Synthesis ◽

Protease Activity ◽

Proteolytic Enzymes ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Neurosecretory Cells ◽

Corpus Allatum ◽

Minor Effect ◽

Calliphora Erythrocephala ◽

Sugar Water ◽

The Mean

1. The protease activity of the adult Calliphora female measured on the first 5 days after emergence was found to be highly influenced by the diet, the activity of females fed on sugar, water and meat (meat-flies) being much higher than that of females fed only on sugar and water (sugar-flies). 2. The development of the enzyme(s) was found to be controlled by the medial neurosecretory cells (m.n.c.), the mean protease activity of females deprived of their m.n.c. only amounting to one-quarter to one-third of the maximum values for the meat-flies. 3. Implantation of corpora cardiaca-allata (presumably containing m.n.c. hormone) into females without m.n.c. raised the protease activity of these significantly, showing that the influence of the implanted organs must be hormonal. 4. The corpus allatum was found to have a certain, if minor, effect on the protease activity. 5. It is concluded that in Calliphora the eating of meat exerts its effect on the production of protease mainly indirectly by causing liberation of m.n.c. hormone into the blood. 6. As proteases are themselves proteins, the effect of the m.n.c. hormone on the production of proteolytic enzymes by the gut cells must be regarded as an effect on the specific protein synthesis of these cells. There is some evidence that the m.n.c. hormone might be involved in the regulation of protein synthesis in general.

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