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Three-dimensional architecture of a mechanoreceptor in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, revealed by FIB-SEM

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Abstract

Trichoid sensilla are the most common mechanoreceptors in insects; depending on their distribution, they can act as either exteroceptors or proprioceptors. In this study, the internal structure of the trichoid sensillum from Nilaparvata lugens was studied, using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). We reconstructed a three-dimensional (3D) model derived from the FIB-SEM data set. The model displayed characteristic mechanosensory sensilla components, including a hair inserted in the socket, a dendrite going through the laminated cuticle, and an electron-dense tubular body at the dendrite terminal. The detailed 3D model showed the relationship between the microtubules within the tubular body and those outside of the tubular body. We also found an autocellular junction in the tormogen cell, indicating that the tormogen cell grows around the dendrite sheath to form a hollow column shape during sensilla morphogenesis.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grants 31630057 and 31471765.

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Author notes

  1. Jian-Sheng Guo and Xin-Qiu Wang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Jian-Sheng Guo & Dan-Dan Song

  2. Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Xin-Qiu Wang, Dan-Ting Li & Chuan-Xi Zhang

  3. Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China

    Chuan-Xi Zhang

Authors
  1. Jian-Sheng Guo
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  2. Xin-Qiu Wang
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Correspondence to Chuan-Xi Zhang.

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Electronic supplementary material

ESM1: Interactive 3D PDF showing the 3D structure of the reconstructed sensillum. This file is available on MS Windows or Mac OS systems, using Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

ESM2: Supplementary Fig. S1, with legend.

ESM3: The volume data of a mechanosensory trichoid sensillum, obtained using FIB/SEM. The sensillum image data used to create Figs.1, 2, 3, 4, together with the surrounding structures, are presented in x-y, x-z, and y-z planes. The data shown in this video were collected as a stack of x-y plane images, and the other two plane views were created in Amira by aligning the images.

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Guo, JS., Wang, XQ., Li, DT. et al. Three-dimensional architecture of a mechanoreceptor in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, revealed by FIB-SEM. Cell Tissue Res 379, 487–495 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03122-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03122-7

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