Comparative analysis of morphological, structural and morphometric patterns of Polistes versicolor (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) hypopharyngeal glands

O presente estudo descreve, por meio de técnicas de histologia e ultramorfologia, os padrões morfológico e estrutural das glândulas hipofaríngeas de Polistes versicolor (Olivier), comparando-os aos de outros grupos de Hymenoptera. Além disso, analisa a presença de variações intraespecíficas dessas glândulas por meio de análises morfométricas das células secretoras de vespas em diferentes idades. Na espécie estudada foi constatada a presença de glândulas com características primitivas, possuindo células secretoras que desembocam individualmente na placa hipofaríngea. O padrão morfológico encontrado nas glândulas hipofaríngeas foi basicamente o mesmo para todas as vespas estudadas, entretanto o comprimento das células glandulares apresentou variações significativas entre indivíduos. Aparentemente essas variações não estão relacionadas com a idade.

Occurrence, morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour gland in Melipona bicolor Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

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General morphology and ultrastructure of the venom apparatus and convoluted gland of the fire ant, Solenopsis saevissima

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Effects of fipronil (active ingredient of Frontline (R)) on salivary gland cells of Rhipicephalus sanguineus females (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae)

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The functional morphology of the metapleural gland of the leaf-cutting ant Atta laevigata (Formicidae: Attini)

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Morpho-histochemical characterization of salivary gland cells of males of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) at different feeding stages: description of new cell types

This study describes the changes undergone by cells of the salivary glands of unfed and feeding (at day two and four post-attachment) Rhipicephalus sanguineus males, as well as new cell types. In unfed males, types I and II acini are observed with cells undifferentiated, undefined 1 and 2 (the latter, with atypical granules), a, c1 and c3; type III is composed of cells d and e; and type IV present cells g. In males at day two post-attachment, type I acini exhibit the same morphology of unfed individuals. An increase in size is observed in types II, III, and IV, as cells are filled with secretion granules. Some granules are still undergoing maturation. In type II acinus, cells a, b and c1-c8 are observed. Cells c7 and c8 are described for the first time. Cells c7 are termed as such due to the addition of polysaccharides in the composition of the secretion granules (in unfed individuals, they are termed undefined 1). Type III acini exhibit cells d and e completely filled with granules, and in type IV, cells g contain granules in several stages of maturation. In males at day four post-attachment, type I acini do not exhibit changes. Granular acini exhibit cells with fewer secretion granules, which are already mature. In type II acini, cells a, b, c1-c5 are present, type III exhibit cells d and e, and type IV contain cells g with little or no secretion. This study shows that in the salivary glands of R. sanguineus males, cells a, c1, and c3 of type II acinus, and cells d and e of type III do not exhibit changes in granular content, remaining continuously active during the entire feeding period. This indicates that during the intervals among feeding stages, gland cells reacquire the same characteristics found in unfed individuals, suggesting that they undergo reprogramming to be active in the next cycle.

MRT Letter: A Novel Tegumental Gland in Female Imagoes of the Neotropical Termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae)

In general, the exocrine glands of social insects are structures involved in the chemical communication associated with social life. Here, we report the discovery of an unknown tegumental gland that is present in the female imagoes of Cornitermes cumulans and occurs next to the well-developed tergal glands that have previously been described. The tegumental glands release their secretion in the intersegmental membrane and are composed of bicellular units, a secretory cell and a canal cell, that are closely located to the epidermal cells in the inferior part of the eighth and ninth tergites. The ultrastructure of the glandular cells showed abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that the secretion may be pheromonal, although its function is still unknown. These exocrine structures are facing the tergal glands, and we hypothesized that they act synergistically with the tergal glands to generate short-range attraction during tandem behavior. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73: 1005-1008, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cephalic salivary gland ultrastructure of worker and queen eusocial bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

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Secretory Profile of Metapleural Gland Cells of the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex coronatus (Formicidae: Attini)

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Ultrastructural studies of the mandibular gland of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 (Apidae, Meliponini): a comparison between workers and queens

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Ultrastructural profile of metapleural gland cells of the ant Atta laevigata (F. Smith, 1858) (Formicidae: Attini)

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A comparative cytochemical study of the dufour gland in the eusocial bee Apis mellifera Linne, 1758 and Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836

Dufour glands of Apis mellifera and Melipona bicolor were studied under light and transmission electron microscopy, using the cytochemical techniques of mercury bromophenol blue for protein detection, imidazole-buffered osmium tetroxide selective staining of unsaturated lipids, lanthanum nitrate for intercellular junction identification and zinc-iodide-osmium tetroxide for cytoplasmic endomembrane visualization. The results in both species corroborated the lipid nature of the gland secretion and showed in A. mellifera the poverty of the synthetic machinery in the worker gland cells in comparison with the queen, as expected by previous biochemical analyses. The pathway of the exogenous compounds of the secretion is intracellular, since substances can penetrate the cell folds and intercellular junctions, but their access to the, gland lumen is barred by the apical intercellular junctions.

Amblyomma cajennense (Acari : Ixodidae): Salivary gland cells of partially engorged females ticks and the production of lipid by their mitochondria

Morphologically,. The salivary glands of ticks are paired structures consisting of a secretory and an excretory portion, lacking a reservoir for the storage of the secretion. The secretory portion is composed in females by cells that form acini classified into the types I, II, and III. The excretory possess a major duct, from which arise several intermediate ducts that then subdivide to form the canaliculi or acinal tubules, which end at the acini from where they collect the secretion. The present Study describes the ultrastructural changes that occur in the mitochondria of cells of the acini I, II, and III in the salivary glands of partially engorged females of the Cayenne tick Amblyomma cajennense. The results show that this organelle exhibits completely disarrayed crests due to the presence of lipidic material inside the matrix and between the crests, thus demonstrating their participation in the production of the lipids that would be used structurally by the cells. These organelles with ultrastructural changes were denominated derived mitochondria. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence and morphometry of the hypopharyngeal glands in Scaptotrigona postica Lat. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae)

As compared to Apis mellifera where only workers have hypopharyngeal glands, in Scaptotrigona postica, these glands occur in workers, queens and males. They are composed of two long axial ducts with many unicellular secretory alveoli interconnected by secretory canaliculi. The axial ducts are longer in miles than in workers, but the alveolar areas of queens and males are generally smaller. In workers the alveoli have their greatest size in the nurses or middle-aged individuals while in queens and males they are larger in newly emerged individuals. The results indicate that the glands in workers may produce food for the brood as in A. mellifera, since they are well developed in the nurse workers. However, the function of the glands in queens and males remains to be clarified since these individuals have no part in brood care.

Ultrastructural aspects of the mandibular gland of Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera : Apidae, Meliponini) in the castes

The mandibular gland in Melipona bicolor workers and queens was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. There is no difference in the gland anatomy between the castes, but the transmission electron microscopy showed variation of the cellular ultrastructure according to the secretory phase of the gland in both castes. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum was abundant in the secretory cells of physogastric queens, indicating that these cells produce lipid secretion that is stored in granules with multi-lamellar bodies. Mitochondrial variations during the cell secretory cycle indicates their participation in the lipid synthesis. After secretion, release in the reservoir lumen through the collecting canals, the secretory cells contain many myelinic bodies, indicative of cellular regression. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.