Ultrastructural Changes in the Formation of Yolk Granules and Vitelline Envelope in Aedes togoi

토고숲 모기 (Aedes togoi)의 난황립 및 난황막 형성에 따른 미세구조적 변화

Drastic changes were observed in egg chamber during oogenesis of Aedes togoi immediately after blood meal. The egg chamber, in which the oocyte remains at previtellogenic stage before blood meal, shows very little change in size even for 3 days after emergence but increased 25 folds in volume within 60 hours after blood meal, presumably due to rapid yolk formation. Upto 6 hours after blood meal structures considered to be the precursor of the yolk granules were not observed in the space between follicle cells and oocyte. Vitelline bodies, which are similar to dense bodies secreted from follicle cells, appeared in the space at 10 hours after blood meal. Although vitelline bodies were fused to form vitelline layer, these bodies seem to contribute to the formation of yolk granules. Nurse cells are connected to oocytes by cytoplasmic bridge before blood meal, but the cells are absorbed into oocyte at 6 hours after blood meal.