Transport of sugars by the fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The transport of glucose and α-methyl glucoside into the fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., has been studied. Glucose is transported into the tissue by a mechanism similar to facilitated diffusion and α-methyl glucoside by a diffusion process. The uptake of these sugars is neither energy dependent nor coupled to a phosphotransferase system.

Accumulation of glycine in the fat body of the silkworm, bombyx mori L. [31]

INVESTIGATIONS of intestinal transport of amino-acids in the locust1,2 and silkworm3,4 have shown no evidence for active accumulation in a transport from the insect gut of amino-acids. When glycine-2-14C was administered in vivo to fifth instar larvae of the silkworm, 96 per cent of the radioactivity was incorporated into various tissues within 1 h whereas in vitro only 19 per cent of the activity was transported by the mid-gut of silkworm (unpublished work). These results suggested that continued absorption of glycine by the intestine could be aided by a facilitated diffusion mechanism in which amino-acids are rapidly removed from the site of absorption either by accumulation into other tissues or by degradation. Although the insect fat body has been assigned both accumulatory and dissimilatory roles5, the mechanism of accumulation of amino-acids has not been investigated. Our present experiments show that the silkworm fat body possesses an efficient mechanism for accumulating glycine and that both the accumulation and the release of glycine are metabolically controlled.

Ultramorphology and histochemistry of fat body cells from last Instar larval of the Pachycondyla (=Neoponera) villosa (Fabricius) (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

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

Fat body in some genera of leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera : Formicidae). Proteins, lipids and polysaccharides detection

The comparative histochemical analysis of the fat body of workers belonging to the basal species Cyphomyrmex rimosus and Mycetarotes parallelus and to derived species Acromyrmex disciger and Atta laevigata revealed that this tissue is constituted mainly by cells denominated trophocytes and oenocytes. The trophocytes of all species studied here were characterized mainly by the proteins and lipids synthesis and storage, being the derived species the ones who have presented higher quantity of lipids in the trophocytes when compared to the trophocytes of basal species. In workers M. parallelus and A. laevigata, besides proteins and lipids, there has being observed the presence of polysaccharides, however, in C. rimosus and A. disciger these elements were detected in lower quantities. The histochemical studies of the oenocytes of basal and derived species revealed significant presence of proteins as well as lipids in these cells. In the oenocytes of derived species A. disciger and A. laevigata a higher quantity of lipidic inclusions has being observed, when compared to the basal species. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrastructure of last larval instar fat body cells of Pachycondyla (= Neoponera) villosa (Formicidae : Ponerinae): cytochemical and chemical analysis

The ultrastructure of the fat body cells (trophocytes) of the last larval instar of Pachycondyla (= Neoponera) villosa is presented. The cytoplasm is restricted to the cell periphery and to the smaller strips among the vacuoles, protein granules, lipid droplets, and around the nucleus. Cytochemically, the presence of basic amino acids in the protein granules and in the nuclei was observed by using the ethanolic phosphotungstic acid technique (EPTA). The lipid droplets stained for unsaturated lipids. This result was further confirmed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, where the unsaturated fatty acids were identified as oleic and linoleic acids together with saturated fatty acids such as palmitic and stearic acid. Carbohydrates (glycogen) were also detected in the fat body. The glycogen is present as beta particles distributed among the lipid droplets and sometimes attached to them.

Ultrastructural features of the fat body and oenocytes of Rhinocricus padbergi Verhoeff (Diplopoda, Spirobolida)

The fat body of the diplopod Rhinocricus padbergi is located in two preferential areas of its body: a) immediately below the tegument, denominated parietal, and b) filling the body cavity, close to the viscera, mainly the ovaries and alimentary canal, denominated perivisceral.Ultrastructurally, its cells, the adipocytes, presented varied morphology and contained organelles indicating that they are cells that mainly produce and store lipids and proteins. The presence of cells similar to the oenocytes found in insects was observed for the first time in diplopods, associated to the fat body of R. padbergi. Our observations suggest that this tissue probably maintains activity cycles, since the presence of cells undergoing apoptosis was detected.

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)

Morphomettic changes on honeybee Apis mellifera L. workers fat body cells after juvenile hormone topic application at emergence

The effect of topical application of juvenile hormone (JH) over the lifetime of worker bees was evaluated in Apis mellifera, by measuring the area of the two cell types, trophocytes and oenocytes, found in the fat body. Topical application of 1 mu l of a 1 mu g/mu l solution of JH in acetone to the abdomens of newly emerged workers produced an increase in cell size, in both types of cell of 5-day-old treated workers in relation to the untreated control. The treatment was more effective on the oenocytes, since there were significant differences compared to the averages of the treatments and the interaction of the treatments with the age of the workers. The developmental pattern seemed to differ from the treated group. However, subsequent effects were probably dependent on different, natural variations in hormonal levels. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

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)

Vitellogenin content in fat body and ovary homogenates of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides during vitellogenesis

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

Morpho-physiological analysis of the insect fat body: A review

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

Fat body cells of Amblyomma cajennense partially engorged females (Acari: Ixodidae) and their role on vitellogenesis process

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Histological and Histochemical Analysis of the Fat Body of Rhinocricus padbergi (Diplopoda) Exposed to Contaminated Industrial Soil

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