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Degeneration and regeneration in the insect central nervous system. I

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Summary

After cutting a neck connective of Schistocerca gregaria, only 2% of the axons on each side of the lesion degenerate. The remainder show reactive changes, which last for approximately one week at 28° C. There is no morphological change in either of the pro/mesothoracic connectives after injury to the neck connective. Phagocytes invade the stumps, but attack only degenerating cells, and are absent by Day 7.

Regeneration from the connective stumps begins a week after injury; a functional link may be formed by Day 10, but by Day 23 the new connective cannot function adequately for the locust's survival, if the undamaged connective is then cut.

The chief morphological changes in the reactive axoplasm are increases in the number of mitochondria, neurotubules, vesicles and vacuoles. These changes appear to be a local response, and not to be influenced by the neuron cell bodies. Some glial cytoplasm (presumably enucleated), degenerates rapidly after injury, and replacement begins by Day 5. Tracheoles, never seen in normal connectives appear in the reactive connective from Days 3–8, this is interpreted as a migration from the ganglion in response to oxygen deficiency in the connective.

The results are discussed in relationship to previous work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Makerere College, University of East Africa, Kampala, Uganda

    P. S. Boulton

  2. Dept. of Medicine, St. Thomas' Hospital, London S. E. 1, England

    P. S. Boulton

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  1. P. S. Boulton
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This work was supported by a “Study and Serve” grant from the British Government, and a grant from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.

I wish to acknowledge the help and advice given to me by Dr. C. H. F. Rowell.

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Boulton, P.S. Degeneration and regeneration in the insect central nervous system. I. Z. Zellforsch. 101, 98–118 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335588

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335588

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