An In vitro study of the effects of insect hormones on cell degeneration in the wing imaginal discs of the mutant vestigial of Drosophila Melanogaster

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Pamela Ashton Albright (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Edward McCrady

Abstract: The relationship between insect hormones and cellular degeneration within larval imaginal discs was investigated. It was hypothesized that the molting hormone, ecdysone, or the juvenile hormone, or possibly the hormonal balance between the two hormones, stimulated the process of cellular degeneration in larval tissue. The larval tissue chosen for these experiments were the dorsal mesothoracic imaginal discs or wing discs of the mutant vestigial of Drosophila melanogaster. The discs were removed from late third instar larvae and placed in vitro for various time intervals in medium containing beta-ecdysone (4.5 ul/ml) and/or the juvenile hormone (250 mg/25 ml). The discs were then removed from culture, washed, and incubated in a medium containing the substrate succinic acid and the enzyme-specific nitro blue tetrazolium stain. Dying cells did not stain due to the lack of enzyme activity. Following removal from the staining medium, the whole discs were fixed in neutral buffered formilin, then dehydrated in 95% ETOH, and mounted on permanent slides with Euparal. The slides were then examined microscopically. The results observed through examination of the disc slides enabled one to draw the following conclusions.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1974
Subjects
Drosophila melanogaster $x Larvae
Drosophila melanogaster $x Genetics
Fruit-flies
Imaginal disks

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