In vitro culture of eggs and embryos of the viviparous paedogenetic gallmidgeHeteropeza pygmaea

✍ Scribed by Went, Dirk F.

• Book ID: 102892268
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 822 KB
• Volume: 177
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401770304

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Eggs and embryos of the viviparous paedogenetic gallmidge Heteropeza pygmaea can be cultivated in vitro throughout the entire period of egg follicle growth and embryonic development. During this process they increase in volume more than 100 times. The culture medium, consisting of hemolymph and fat body cells, is obtained from Z‐ray sterilized, full grown larvae of the same species. Embryonic development in this medium is essentially the same as it is in vivo.

If the fat body cells of the culture medium have been damaged during their explanation, the embryos on the culture show vacuoles in their yolk syncytium after some time and do no develop further. If all fat body cells in a preparation stay intact, some of the embryos develop completely, whereas the others dissolve. Intact fat body lobes can not be used for in vitro culture, because they generally show degeneration which prevents embryonic development.

The suitability of the culture method is discussed.