Ultrastrucuture of the fat body of the reproductive pair in higher termites

Autor: Christian Bordereau, Sun Heat Han
Rok vydání: 1982
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Morphology. 172:313-322
ISSN: 1097-4687
0362-2525
Popis: The fine structure of the fat body of the higher termite king and queen has been studied both in species with (Macrotermes bellicosus, M. subhyalinus) and without (Cubitermes fungifaber) tracheal rosettes. There is a very pronounced sexual dimorphism. The adipocytes of the queen are highly specialized for protein synthesis and secretion; they store only a small quantity of reserves. The adipocytes of the king are not specialized in protein synthesis, but accumulate large amounts of reserve substances. The previously proposed different functions of the termite queen's fat body are discussed; it appears to be mainly concerned with vitellogenesis.
Databáze: OpenAIRE