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Ultrastructural changes in midgut cells of female Aedes aegypti L. (insecta, diptera) after starvation or sugar diet

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Summary

The ultrastructure of the epithelial cells in the posterior part of the midgut in female Aedes aegypti was partly changed after starvation periods of 5 or 8 days. Most obvious is a drastic reduction of the amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum (rer), which is responsible for the synthesis of enzymes for blood digestion. A similar influence on rer membranes is to be observed in mosquitoes fed on sucrose solution only, without additional blood meals.

Zusammenfassung

Nach einer Hungerperiode von 5 bzw. 8 Tagen ist die Ultrastruktur der Epithelzellen im hinteren Abschnitt des Mitteldarmes weiblicher A. aegypti teilweise verändert. So wird beispielsweise eine drastische Reduktion des rauhen endoplasmischen Retikulum (rer) gemessen, das für die Synthese der Enzyme zur Blutverdauung verantwortlich ist. Einen ähnlichen Einfluß auf das rer hat eine gleich lang dauernde Fütterung der Mücken mit Zuckerwasser.

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The authors thank Prof. T.A. Freyvogel and Dr. R. Brun for their critical reading and Miss A. Tiger for typing the manuscript

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Bauer, P., Rudin, W. & Hecker, H. Ultrastructural changes in midgut cells of female Aedes aegypti L. (insecta, diptera) after starvation or sugar diet. Cell Tissue Res. 177, 215–219 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221082

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221082

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