title: The pheromonal gland of Lymantria dispar: morphology and evidence for its innervation.
abstract: The morphological features of the glandular epithelium that secretes pheromone in the polyphagous pest gypsy moth Lymantria dispar are described by light and electron microscopy. The monolayered gland cells are covered by the folded cuticle of the intersegmental membrane between the 8th and 9th abdominal segments showing neither sites of discontinuity nor distinct openings on its external surface. The cells bear a large, often irregularly shaped nucleus, and contain granules of variable amount and electron-density. These granules are mostly located in the basal compartment of the cytoplasm, in a labyrinthine zone laying on a basement membrane. The apical membrane of the gland cells bear microvilli and cell-cell contact is established by different junctional structures. Nerve fibers enwrapped in glia are found beneath the basement membrane, in close contact with the secretory cells. This latter finding represents the first evidence of the innervation of the pheromonal gland in L. dispar.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boi
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quartu
authors.forename: Maria Pina
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solari
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Fiacco
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D009036:Moths / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones