Each vas deferens of the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller), consists of a short swollen portion immediately below the testis, another swollen portion that forms a seminal vesicle, and an elongate lower portion that empties into one arm of the ductus ejaculatoris duplex. Three types of epithelial cells occur sequentially. Phagocytic cells that engulf debris from the testis form the anterior two-thirds of the first swollen portion. Tall secretory cells form the distal third of the first swollen region and extend to the seminal vesicles. The secretory cells surround a slit-like lumen and appear to function as a valve between the two swollen regions. Many membraneenclosed secretory granules are stored at the apical ends of the cells and are released into the lumen together with small amounts of the surrounding cytoplasm. The granules remain intact while they are in the male tract. A second type of secretory cell forms the walls of the seminal vesicles and the lower vasa deferentia. These cells produce secretory granules whose contents become dispersed through the semen. PTA-chromic acid staining indicates that the seminal plasma has a high glycoprotein content. A thin muscle layer is basal to the epithelial cells.Both apyrene and eupyrene sperm undergo some development in the vasa deferentia. The epithelial cells, muscle, and stored sperm all undergo extensive changes with age.
Five regions are recognized in the accessory glands of the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller), on the basis of cellular morphology and aggregates of secretory material in the lumen. Some variation is found in each of the posterior four regions, especially the third one. In the most anterior region (region 1) the epithelium is composed of a single type of cell, while in each of the other regions there are two classes of cells. The cells of region 1 and one class in each of the other four regions are fairly typical exocrine cells with extensive rough endoplasmic reticula. Secretion is primarily via Golgi-derived vesicles. Apocrine secretion in the form of sloughing off of the apical cytoplasm probably also occurs in all regions but is most prominent in the posterior two regions. One class of cells is very similar in morphology in each of the posterior four regions though their secretory products form characteristic aggregates in the lumen. The second class of cells (foliate cells) occurring in the posterior four segments is most notably characterized by elongate apical projections that extend out into the lumen. The apical projections contain large quantities of glycogen, some microtubules, and, in some cases, many minute mitochondria. The membrane content of the projections is also very high. In the anterior regions, the membranes are mostly fused in pairs and typically form multilayered whorls. Fusion and whorl formation decrease in the posterior regions. The cytoplasm of the foliate cells has a high organelle content including many lysosomes and mitochondria. The latter exhibit considerable polymorphism, with particular forms occurring in the different regions of the glands. The apical projections of the foliate cells are detached during copulation, presumably as the result of nervous stimulation, and become a part of the ejaculate. Replenishment of all secretory material, including the apical projections, occurs after copulation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.