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

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Caracterização das glândulas mandibulares nas diferentes classes de adultos de Scaptotrigona postica Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

As glândulas mandibulares de operárias recém-emergidas, nutridoras e campeiras, rainhas virgens e fisogástricas, e machos maduros de Scaptotrigona postica Latreille foram estudadas histológica e morfometricamente. Estas glândulas apresentam diferenças histológicas características para cada idade e/ou função do indivíduo. de acordo com a morfometria conclui-se que as glândulas mandibulares possuem um ciclo secretor determinado, no qual a secreção começa a ser produzida nas operárias recém-emergidas, e acumula-se no citoplasma e reservatório da glândula das operárias nutridoras. Nas operárias campeiras o citoplasma encontra-se bastante vacuolizado, o que foi interpretado como resultado da eliminação da secreção. Rainhas fisogástricas apresentaram as maiores áreas celulares e nucleares, ao oposto dos machos, os quais apresentaram as menores áreas.

Nuclear alterations associated to programmed cell death in larval salivary glands of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

The silk glands of bees are a good model for the study of cell death in insects. With the objective to detect the nuclear features during glandular regression stage, larvae at the last instar and pre-pupae were collected and their silk glands were dissected and processed for ultrastructural analysis and histologically for cytochemical and imunocytochemical analysis. The results showed that the cellular nuclei exhibited characteristics of death by atypical apoptosis as well as autophagic cell death. Among the apoptosis characteristic were: nuclear strangulation with bleb formation in some nuclei, DNA fragmentation in most of the nuclei and nucleolar fragmentation. Centripetal chromatin compaction was observed in many nuclei, forming a perichromatin halo differing from typical apoptotic nuclei. With regards to the characteristics of autophagic-programmed cell death, most relevant was the delay in the collapse of many nuclei. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical detection of the proteins and lipids in the fat body cells from workers of Attini ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cytochemistry of fat body trophocytes and ovaries of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) during vitellogenesis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Biochemical and cytochemical studies of the enzymatic activity of the venom glands of workers of honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Biochemical studies revealed that the activity of some hydrolytic enzymes from the venom glands of honey bee Apis mellifera was higher in workers of 14 days of age than in those of 40 days. Among these enzymes, the highest activity was recorded for acid phosphatase, which was cytochemically detected throughout the length of the secretory filament and surrounding the canaliculi of the distal region of the reservoir. The acid phosphatase was considered to be a typical secretion product, since it was present in the cytoplasm as well as in the canaliculi of the secretory cells. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal and morphological differences in post-embryonic differentiation of the mushroom bodies in the brain of workers, queens, and drones of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

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

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of Prey Size on the Capture of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) by the Orb-Web Spider Nephilengys cruentata

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Accessory Nuclei in the Oocytes of Pachycondyla (Neoponera) villosa (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae) as a Source of Annulate Lamellae

In insects' oocytes, structures called accessory nuclei can be observed. They are similar to the nucleus of the oocyte and have been detected in Hymenoptera as well as in other groups, with their source and functions still under discussion (Cassidy & King 1972). Through the use of histochemical techniques as well as ultrastructural ones, it was possible to observe several accessory nuclei surrounding the oocyte nucleus in the immature oocytes of Pachycondyla (Neoponera) villosa ants. Morphologically they were seen to be round and smaller than the germinal vesicle. When using these histochemical techniques, the only positive reaction was for proteins. Ultrastructurally they have the same morphology as the oocyte nucleus and a fine and electrondense granulation was observed inside them. The function of accessory nuclei in P (Neoponera) villosa is probably as a source of anullate lamellae and as an RNA reservoir in the oocytes. In mature oocytes (stage III), these structures are not observed, suggesting that they disappeared before this stage by releasing their contents into the oocytes' cytoplasm, according to Camargo-Mathias and Caetano (1993).

Ultrastructural analysis of the fat body in workers of Attini ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

In the present study a comparative morphological analysis of the fat body cells of ant workers of the basal Attini species Cyphomyrmex rimosus and Mycetarotesparallelus, and the derived species Acromynnex disciger and Atta laevigata was conducted. The results revealed that the fat body is located mainly in the abdomen around organs (perivisceral) and near the integument (parietal). The main cells observed are spherical or polygonal trophocytes with a slightly rough surface. The oenocytes, another cell type found, are closely associated with trophocytes, and present a spherical or polygonal shape and a smoother surface. The morphometric analysis showed that the area of trophocytes and oenocytes of C rimosus and M parallelus is significantly smaller when compared to those of A. disciger and A. laevigata. In the cytoplasm of parietal and perivisceral trophocytes and oenocytes, electronlucent droplets (probably lipids) and electrondense granules (probably proteins) indicate the participation of these cells in the storage of these elements, while digestive vacuoles, residual bodies, and multivesicular bodies suggest a role in intracellular digestion. In perivisceral trophocytes and oenocytes of C rimosus, the presence of mitochondria, lamellar rough endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi complex suggests that these cells synthesize proteins. Based on these data, no significant differences were observed between the fat body cells of basal and derived ants, except regarding the larger size of trophocytes and oenocytes of the derived species A. disciger and A. laevigata. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2009

A new scenario of bioprospecting of Hymenoptera venoms through proteomic approach

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Histochemistry and Protein Profile of The Venom Glands of Workers of Neoponera villosa Ants (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fat body cells of female reproductive castes of Attini ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): An ultrastructural and chemical analysis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)