La formation des canaux cuticulaires chez l'adulte de Tenebrio molitor L. étude ultrastructurale et remarques histochimiques.
The sclerotized cuticle of adult Tenebrio shows (1) an exocuticle composed of rotating lamellate layers and of columns of cuticular material, the fibres of which run perpendicularly through the lamellae, (2) an endocuticle composed of layers with preferred orientation. In the exocuticle, the pore canals are numerous and run along the columns; they do not rotate with the lamellate layers. They show several filaments some of which leave the canals and form a dense intracuticular network. In the last layers of exocuticle, the pericolumnar canals fuse and form large endocuticular canals which rotate in phase with the cuticular fibres. The formation of columns and canals is in relation with cellular expansions which penetrate into the cuticle during cuticle deposition. Exocuticular columns seem characteristic of highly sclerotized cuticles and the intracuticular filaments may have a role in the transport of sclerotisation precursors.
Delachambre
J
J
Equipe de Recherche associée au C.N.R.S., No. 231.; Laboratoire de Zoologie Université do, Dijon, Bd. Gabriel, 21 Dijon, France.