Summary
Carausius morosus starved and deprived of water lose about 30% of their body weight in 4 days, mainly due to water loss. Isolated inferior tubules from starved dehydrated insects secrete urine at 0.041 nl·mm−1·min−1 compared with 0.118 nl·mm−1·min−1 in those from fed hydrated insects. This difference is due partly to the level of a diuretic (and perhaps also an antidiuretic) hormone in the haemolymph acting directly on the urine-secreting mechanism and partly to changes in the intrinsic capacity of the tubule cells for urine secretion. This latter change is accompanied by structural changes in the tubules. During starvation and dehydration the lumen becomes packed with white granules, the height of the type 1 cells is reduced, their basal infoldings and brush border become shorter and their mitochondrial volume is reduced.
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Taylor, H.H. Structural and functional changes in the malpighian tubules of Carausius morosus during dehydration and starvation. Z.Zellforsch 141, 479–492 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307119
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307119