Summary
The utriculi majores, the largest tubules of the mushroom-shaped sex gland complex of P. americana are lined by a single layer of secretory cells with basal plasmalemmal infoldings and apical microvilli, and enveloped by a thin layer of slow-acting muscle. The latter is predominantly monomyofibrillar, with an ill-developed T-system, sarcoplasmic reticulum and striations. The secretory epithelium consists of typical protein-synthesizing and-exporting cells with an extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum and active Golgi elements. Secretory granules, budded off from layered cisternae of the Golgi complex, are more numerous in the vicinity of the luminal surface. The luminal contents are rich in proteins, neutral lipids and phospholipids; there are also some sulphated and nonsulphated acid mucopolysaccharides.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beams, H. W., Anderson, E., Kessel, R. G.: Electron microscope observations on the phallic (conglobate) gland of the cockroach Periplaneta americana. J. roy. micr. Soc. 81, 85–89 (1962)
Büning, J.: Untersuchungen am Ovar von Bruchidius obtectus Say. (Coleoptera-Polyphaga) zur Klärung des Oocytenwachstums in der Prävitellogenese. Z. Zellforsch. 128, 241–282 (1972)
Callahan, P. S., Cascio, T.: Histology of the reproductive tracts and transmission of sperm in the corn earworm, Heliothis zea. Ann. entomol. Soc. Amer. 56, 535–556 (1963)
De Loof, A., Lagasse, A.: The ultrastructure of the male accessory reproductive glands of the Colorado beetle. Z. Zellforsch. 130, 545–552 (1972)
Fawcett, D. W.: The cell. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co. 1967.
Foelix, R. F.: Some morphological aspects of the innervation of a spider's silk gland. Tissue & Cell 3, 423–432 (1971)
Gorbman, A., Bern, H. A.: A text book of comparative endocrinology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1962
Khalifa, A.: Spermatophore production in Blattella germanica L. (Orthoptera: Blattidae). Proc. roy. ent. Soc. London (A) 25, 53–61 (1950)
Louis, D., Kumar, R.: Morphology and histology of the mushroom shaped gland in some Dictyoptera. Anm. entomol. Soc. Amer. 64, 977–982 (1971)
Mill, P. J., Riley, J.: An ultrastructural study of the body wall muscles of the pentastomid Reighardia sternae Dies. 1864 parasitic on the herring gull Larus argentatus Pontopp. Z. Zellforsch. 130, 12–17 (1972)
Odhiambo, T. R.: The architecture of the accessory reproductive glands of the male desert locust. 1. Types of glands and their secretions. Tissue & Cell 1, 155–182 (1969a)
Odhiambo, T. R.: The architecture of the accessory reproductive glands of the male desert locust. 4. Fine structure of the glandular epithelium. Phil. Trans. B 256, 85–114 (1969b)
Odhiambo, T. R.: The architecture of the accessory reproductive glands of the male desert locust. 3. Components of the muscular wall. Tissue & Cell 2, 233–248 (1970)
Peterson, M., Leblond, C. P.: Synthesis of complex carbohydrates in the Golgi region, as shown by radioautography after injection of labelled glucose. J. Cell Biol. 21, 143–148 (1964)
Pringle, J. W. S.: Flight. In: The Physiology of Insecta vol. 2, p. 283–333, (ed. M. Rockstein). New York and London: Academic Press 1965
Roth, L. M.: Uricose glands in the accessory sex gland complex of male Blattaria. Ann. entomol. Soc. Amer. 60, 1203–1211 (1967)
Sandborn, E. B., Duclos, S., Messier, P.-E., Roborge, J.-J.: A typical intestinal striated muscle in Drosophila melanogaster. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 18, 695–702 (1967)
Smith, D. S.: Cytological studies on some insect muscles (with special reference to the sarcoplasmic reticulum). Rev. canad. Biol. 21, 279–301 (1962)
Toner, P. G., Carr, K. E.: Cell structure. Edinburgh and London: Churchill Livingstone 1971
Vijayalekshmi, V. R., Adiyodi, K. G.: Accessory sex glands of male Periplaneta americana (L.). Part III — Histochemistry of the mushroom-shaped and conglobate glands. Indian J. exp. Biol. (in press, 1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We thank Professor A. Egelhaaf, Director, Lehrstuhl: Experimentelle Morphologie, Zoologisches Institut, Köln Universität for excellent laboratory facilities, immense cordiality and hospitality, Dr. A. Fischer for help in electron microscopy. Dr. W. Weber (Lehrstuhl: Tierphysiologie) for the gift of cockroaches, and Miss. G. Vahle for technical assistance. Supported by funds from Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (RGA) and the Indian National Science Academy (KGA).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Adiyodi, R.G., Adiyodi, K.G. Ultrastructure of the utriculi majores in the mushroom-shaped male accessory gland of Periplaneta americana (L.). Z.Zellforsch 147, 433–440 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307475
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307475