title: Implications for the functions of the four known midgut differentiation factors: An immunohistologic study of Heliothis virescens midgut.
abstract: Antibodies to the peptides that induce differentiation of midgut larval stem cells, the midgut differentiating factors MDF-2, MDF-3, and MDF-4, bind to columnar cells in midgut cultures and in intact midgut of Heliothis virescens, in manners similar to the binding of anti- MDF-1 to those tissues. Antibodies to MDF-2 and MDF-3 also stained droplets in the midgut lumen, suggesting that columnar cells may also release MDF-2- and MDF-3-like cytokines to the lumen. Antibody to MDF-4 exhibited similar staining patterns but also recognized stem and differentiating cells, the presumed targets of peptides that regulate stem cell differentiation. Antibody to MDF-4 also bound to one type of endocrine cell in midgut cultures and in sections of midgut, as well as to the endocrine secretion released both to the midgut lumen and the hemolymph. Antibodies to the MDFs 1, 2, and 3, incubated with cultures of midgut cells, did not appear to prevent differentiation of the stem cells in the cultures but affected viability of mature cells, reflected in increased apoptosis and doubling of the number of differentiating cells compared to controls. Only antibody to MDF-4 induced temporary necrosis and inhibition of population recovery, indicating that MDF4 may be the true differentiation factor. The other MDFs may have additional functions beyond regulation of midgut stem cell differentiation in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Insect Biocontrol Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA. loebm@ba.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Marcia J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Coronel
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Natsukawa
authors.forename: Makio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004064:Digestive System / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009336:Necrosis; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine