Waku Yoshio
Biology Laboratory, Kyoto Technical University, Matsugasaki, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan 606.
J Morphol. 1978 Dec;158(3):243-273. doi: 10.1002/jmor.1051580302.
The fine structure of the wax gland of Anomoneura nymph and its metamorphic change were investigated. In the nymph, this organ encircles the anus, and consists of two kinds of cells, derived from epidermal cells: (1) very tall, slim wax cells, which produce and secrete the wax, and (2) flat interstitial cells found among the wax cells. The whole gland is covered by a wax-secreting cuticle with a delicate surface sculpture. Each wax cell has a long, wide duct which opens at the cuticle and penetrates the entire cell. Its cytoplasm is rich in mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum while that of interstitial cells contains rough endoplasmic reticulum. During each nymphal molt, the cluster of primordial wax gland cells - derived from the epidermis - proliferates rapidly and forms the gland of the next instar. The gland of the preceding instar meanwhile degenerates. Interstitial cells play an important role in cuticle formation and shedding at each molt. These cells alone produce and deposit the new cuticle of the next instar; the wax cells, specialized for wax production, cannot produce cuticle. The apical portion of the wax cell is cut off from the main cell body by growth of the surrounding interstitial cells. Thereafter, the wax cells degenerate, resulting in the rapid disappearance of the previous instar's wax gland. Adults lack this gland entirely.
对仙女蜂若虫蜡腺的精细结构及其变态变化进行了研究。在若虫阶段，该器官环绕肛门，由源自表皮细胞的两种细胞组成：（1）非常高且细长的蜡细胞，其产生并分泌蜡；（2）位于蜡细胞之间的扁平间质细胞。整个腺体被具有精细表面纹饰的分泌蜡的角质层覆盖。每个蜡细胞都有一条长而宽的导管，其开口于角质层并贯穿整个细胞。其细胞质富含线粒体和平滑内质网，而间质细胞的细胞质则含有粗糙内质网。在每次若虫蜕皮期间，源自表皮的原始蜡腺细胞簇迅速增殖并形成下一龄期的腺体。与此同时，前一龄期的腺体退化。间质细胞在每次蜕皮时的角质层形成和脱落中起重要作用。仅这些细胞产生并沉积下一龄期的新角质层；专门用于蜡分泌的蜡细胞不能产生角质层。蜡细胞的顶端部分通过周围间质细胞的生长而与主体细胞分离。此后，蜡细胞退化，导致前一龄期的蜡腺迅速消失。成虫完全没有这种腺体。
