Cell and Tissue Research

, Volume 148, Issue 2, pp 237–245 | Cite as

The innervation of the salivary gland of the moth, Manduca sexta

  • H. A. Robertson
Article
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Summary

The salivary glands of the moth, Manduca sexta (Insecta: Sphingidae), are unlike most other salivary glands in that they are innervated from one source only. Vital staining of nerves with methylene-blue reveals numerous fine nerves extending to the glands from the oesophageal nerve, a part of the stomatogastric or visceral nervous system. Light and electron microscopy confirm that only the fluid-secreting cells, confined to a discrete region in these glands, are innervated. Axons with or without glial wrappings are found in intercellular spaces between fluid-secreting cells. Axons lacking a glial sheath contain, after glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide fixation, large granular and small agranular vesicles. In nerve endings in glands fixed with permanganate these smaller vesicles are granular, having the electron-dense cores characteristic of monoamine-containing neurons. These nerve endings with “synaptoid areas” are in close (“direct”) contact with the fluid-secreting cells.

Key words

Salivary gland Innervation Insect Monoamines Electron microscopy 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1974

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. A. Robertson
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyCambridgeEngland

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