AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF THE EXTRACELLULAR MICROTUBULES IN THE MIDGUT OF THE APHID SPECIES ACYRTHOSIPHON PISUM AND APHIS FABAE
Abstract
The ultrastructure of the midgut of two aphid species, Acyrthosiphon pisum and Aphis fabae, was investigated. In the epithelial cells of the stomach of A. pisum and of the intestine of both species, extracellular microtubules were found in association with the microvilli and the microlabyrinth. They were identified as G microtubules because of their fixation in gluterallehyde and not in osmium, and by their sensitivity to vinblastine sulfate and colchicine. They were stable in cold fixatives. Immunofluorescence studies showed the presence of a large quantity of tubulin in the stomach and intestine of A. pisum. In addition, there were unusual microfibrillar bodies in the stomach of A. fabae. It is proposed that the extracellular microtubules comprise a new type of invertebrate homologous cell junction that gives support to the microlabyrinth and may also be involved in transport.
Subject Area
Biology|Entomology
Recommended Citation
GRIFFIN, MARGARET O, "AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF THE EXTRACELLULAR MICROTUBULES IN THE MIDGUT OF THE APHID SPECIES ACYRTHOSIPHON PISUM AND APHIS FABAE" (1987). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8714576.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8714576
