Cytochemical study of acid phosphatase activity in the functional and degenerating spinning gland cells of Pericallia ricinii (lepidoptera).

A study of the presence, distribution and activity of acid phosphatase has been carried out in the cells of the spinning gland of moth pest Pericallia ricinii in sequential larval, prepupal and pupal stages. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity at first appears in the apical and basal regions of the secretory cells of second instar larva and later in the following stages is localised in the middle region of the cells. The highest activity was found while using an incubation time from 25 to 30 minutes. Prolonged incubation resulted in artifacts. Based on the acid phosphatase activity two cell types (A and B) in the spinning gland cell layer could be distinguished. The cytochemical differences in histologically similar cells of the spinning gland of the Indian moth pest were reported for the first time. In pupal period progressive deformation could be observed in the gland cells, which is accompanied by high acid phosphatase activity, which is in contradistinction to cells with small deformations and low enzyme activity. The process of degeneration in former cells is also quicker than in the latter ones.