Ultrastructure of the Ampullate Gland in the Orb Web Spider, Nephila clavata L. Koch I. Excretory Duct of the Large Ampullate Gland

무당거미(Nephila clavata L. Koch) 병상선(甁狀腺)의 미세구조(微細構造) I. 대병상선(大甁狀腺)의 분비관(分泌管)

The ultrastructure of the excretory duct of the large ampullate gland in the orb web spider, Nephila clavain L. Koch are studied with light and electron microscopes. The excretory ducts of the large ampullate glands connected with the large spinning tubes(spigots) on the anterior spinnerets are basically composed of three superposed types of the layers which are inner cuticles, monolayered epithelial cells and peripheral connective cells. According to the morphological characteristics of the cuticles and internal textures of the epithelial cells, the long excretory ducts are subdivided into three(distal, middle and proximal) portions. Especially, at the distal portion of the ducts near the spinning tubes, the electron lucent subcuticles which had the functions of water removal and orientation of silk fibers are well distributed, whereas at the middle and proximal portions these layers disappeared and instead of these, endocuticles are developed. The endocuticle contains two types of bands, which are electron dense and electron lucent. And along the length of the cuticular stem in the excretory duct, these two alternating bands are twisted spirally. In the cytoplasm of the columnar epithelial cells of the distal portion, rough endoplasmic reticula and Golgj complexes, related to the production of the cuticular materials are well developed. Between the adjacent epithelial cells, specialized septate junctions and desmosomes are formed along the plasma membranes. At the proximal portion of the duct, densely accumulated secretory materials appeared, and these are released to the inner canal by the apocrine secretion.