Effects of eyestalk removal on cholesterol uptake and ecdysone secretion by crab (Cancer antennarius) Y-organs in vitro.

Y-Organs and control tissues from intact (intermolt) and 48-hr de-eyestalked Cancer antennarius donors were cultured for 12 and 24 hr in crustacean saline supplemented 10% with crab serum and containing [14C]cholesterol. Under these conditions, Y-organs took up significantly more [14C]cholesterol than ovary or muscle, and Y-organs from 48-hr de-eyestalked crabs took up threefold more than Y-organs from intact crabs. The labeled cholesterol of the culture medium was observed to bind rapidly to the lipoproteins of the serum supplement; subcellular fractionation of the activated Y-organs after incubation showed 59% of the label localized in the cytosolic fraction. The increase in cholesterol uptake did not result from a change in extracellular volume, and was not accompanied by a change in Y-organ total cholesterol. It was, however, accompanied by a greater than threefold increase in ecdysone secretion.