A study of the Malpighian tubules of the plecopteran nymph Paragnetina media (Walker) (Plecoptera: Perlidae) by light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy

Abstract

The present study concerns the structural details of the Malpighian tubules in the nymph of the stonefly Paragnetina media. There is no external segmentation except for a distal short hyaline segment. The tubules are composed of two cell types: primary and stellate. Primary cells in the proximal and middle portions of the tubule have short infoldings of the basal membrane and the cytosol is packed with laminate spheres. Cells of the distal segment possess long and tightly packed membrane folds but are devoid of laminate spheres. The stellate cells are sparsely distributed in the middle region and make up 12% of the total cell population in the Malpighian tubule; they lack laminate spheres. Long processes of the stellate cells extend between adjacent primary cells to the luminal and outer surfaces of the tubule.

Ultrastructural features of the larval Malpighian tubules of the flesh fly Sarcophaga ruficornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

“…Contrary to only one cell type found in the (Garayoa et al, 1992) and Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (both Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (Arab and Caetano, 2002), the tubular epithelium consists of two types of cells, namely principal and stellate cells. (Diptera: Chironomidae) (Jarial, 1988), Paragnetina media (Walker) (Plecoptera: Perlidae) (Kapoor, 1994), and Drosophila hydei Sturtevant and D. melanogaster Meigen (both Diptera: Drosophilidae) (Wessing et al, 1999). (Diptera: Chironomidae) (Jarial, 1988), Paragnetina media (Walker) (Plecoptera: Perlidae) (Kapoor, 1994), and Drosophila hydei Sturtevant and D. melanogaster Meigen (both Diptera: Drosophilidae) (Wessing et al, 1999).…”

The duct connecting Malpighian tubules and gut: an ultrastructural and comparative analysis in various Ephemeroptera nymphs (Pterygota)

“…Investigations on the functional morphology of Malpighian tubules of mayfly nymphs can give insight into the adaptation of these insects to the aquatic environment. Indeed, aquatic insects are usually faced with the problem of loss of salts to the environment and dilution of the body fluids due to a continual diffusion of water through the body surface (Kapoor 1994). A case in point is the chloride cells of mayflies which are specialized elements for the absorption of inorganic ions from very dilute solutions (Wichard et al 1972;Komnick 1977;Filshie and Campbell 1984).…”

Stellate cells in the Malpighian tubules of Drosophila hydei and D. melanogaster larvae (Insecta, Diptera)

“…In the blowfly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Calliphoridae), they preferably take up lead ions and stain darkly (Berridge and Oschman 1969). The small stellate cells are easily seen after selective staining of the nucleus by toluidine blue in Periplaneta americana Linné, 1758 (Orthopteroidea, Blattoidea) (see Wall et al 1975) or crystal violet in Paragnetina media Walker, 1852 (Plecoptera, Pelariae) (see Kapoor 1995). MT of Drosophila hydei Sturtevant, 1921 and Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830 were glued onto coverslips with diluted hen's egg, and hydrolysis was induced with hydrochloric acid, similar to the Feulgen staining technique, in order to stain DNA (Lenz personal communication).…”