The ocelli of arctiid moths: ultrastructure of the retina during light and dark adaptation.

The ultrastructure of the dorsal ocelli of two arctiid moths (Arctia caja (A. caja) and Creatonotos transiens (C. transiens) was investigated. The two ocelli are positioned laterally on the vertex of the head posterior to the antennae, close to the dorsal margin of the compound eyes. The biconvex corneal lens is located at the apex of a cone-shaped cuticular elevation, which encapsulates the retina. The corneagenous cell layer and the cup-like retina with about 100-130 receptor cells in A. caja (70-90 receptor cells in C. transiens) are adjoined proximally. The retina is completely enclosed by the perineurium and thus separated from the corneagenous cells and the surrounding hemolymph. Irregularly shaped rhabdomeres, consisting of densely packed microvilli, are present in the distal region of the receptor cells. Up to three cells may form a rhabdom. Thus a loose network of photoreceptive structures over the whole retina results. A unique feature of these arctiid ocelli are photoreceptor vacuoles containing microvilli. The function of these organelles is unknown. The rhabdomeric arrangement within the light and dark adapted retina differs considerably. The ultrastructure of the rhabdomeres indicates an intense membrane turnover. However, changes in adaptation state are not accompanied by dramatic changes in the photoreceptive area of an ocellus.

Functional morphology of the divided compound eye of the honeybee drone (Apis mellifera).

Using different approaches, the functional morphology of the compound eye of the honeybee drone was examined. The drone exhibits an extended acute zone in the dorsal part of its eye. The following specializations were found here: enlarged facet diameters; smaller interommatidial angles; red-leaky screening pigment; enlarged rhabdom diameters; photopigment composition different from the drone's ventral eye region and the worker bee's eye. Thus, similar to other male insects, the drone compound eye is divided into a male-specific dorsal part and a ventral part resembling the worker bee's eye. The functional significance of the sex-specific acute zone is discussed with respect to mating behaviour.

Dye-induced photopermeabilization and photodegeneration: a lesion technique useful for neuronal tracing.

Using as a neural system the fly retina, which is visually accessible in vivo, we describe a lesion technique that takes advantage of the photodynamic damage produced by extrinsic dyes. Contrary to the photo-inactivation technique described by Miller and Selverston (1979), this technique does not involve intracellular injection, since the dye is applied to the extracellular space of the tissue. This treatment was found to trigger neuronal degeneration and cell permeabilization in fly photoreceptor neurones. We coined the names 'photodegeneration' and 'photopermeabilization' for these two phenomena. While the technique can be used to delete given neurones from the neural circuit after several days' survival time, it was found to produce adequate cytoplasmic labelling for anatomical studies with both light and electron microscopy. Since the area occupied by the degenerating cells is restricted to the light spot imaged onto the nervous tissue, the resolution with this lesion technique can range from single cells to whole neuronal populations. The remarkable precision of the 'photolesions' produced in this way makes this technique a powerful tool for physiological and anatomical investigations on real neural networks, whenever these can be made optically accessible in vivo or in situ.

Selective illumination of single photoreceptors in the house fly retina: local membrane turnover and uptake of extracellular horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and lucifer yellow.

Single photoreceptor cells in the compound eye of the housefly Musca domestica were selectively illuminated and subsequently compared electron-microscopically with the unilluminated photoreceptors in the immediate surroundings. The rhabdomeres of the illuminated cells remain largely unaffected, but the cells show an increase in the number of coated pits, various types of vesicles, and degradative organelles; some of the latter organelles are described for the first time in fly photoreceptors. Coated pits are found not only at the bases of the microvilli, but also in other parts of the plasma membrane. Degradative organelles, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria aggregate in the perinuclear region. The rough ER and smooth ER are more elaborate, the number of Golgi stacks, free ribosomes and polysomes is increased, and the shape and distribution of heterochromatin within the nuclei are altered. Illuminated photoreceptors also interdigitate extensively with their neighbouring secondary pigment cells. These structural changes in illuminated fly photoreceptor cells indicate an increase in membrane turnover and cellular metabolism. When applied to the eye, Lucifer Yellow spreads into the extracellular space and is taken up only by the illuminated photoreceptor cells. These cells show the same structural modifications as above. Horseradish peroxidase applied in the same way is observed in pinocytotic vesicles and degradative organelles of the illuminated cells. Hence, the light-induced uptake of extracellular compounds takes place in vivo at least partially as a result of an increase in pinocytosis.

'Photo-degeneration' of neurones after extracellular dye application.

Irradiation in the presence of a dye applied to the extracellular space was found to trigger neuronal degeneration in fly photoreceptor neurones. This phenomenon endowed the selected cells with a dark and fine-grained label such that they could be traced and scrutinized for synaptic specializations. It also initiated their phagocytotic removal from the neural network. Various states of degeneration fitting classical descriptions could be achieved by acting upon the light dose. The phenomenon seems to rely on photosensitization of the cell by the dye. The simplicity and precision with which this phenomenon can be induced makes 'photo-degeneration' an exciting prospective tool for combined anatomical and physiological studies on (natural) neural networks and may provide a new line of medical applications.

The fine structure of the dorsal ocelli in the male bibionid fly.

The dorsal ocelli of bibionid flies, details of which have not previously been described, were examined in males of Dilophus febrilis. The three ocelli are combined within an elevated chitin capsule, in a medial position between the enlarged dorsal compound eyes. The biconvex lenses show a multiple layering of up to 150 regularly spaced, clear and dense cuticle zones (100 nm spacing) which probably provide some spectral filtering, suggested by in vivo observations with an epifluorescence microscope. The corneagenous cells and the retina with 100-200 photoreceptor cells are adjoined proximally. A distal retina zone comprises the rhabdoms, which are laterally connected in an hexagonal network. The rhabdoms are between 4 and 15 mum in length; they decrease gradually from the dorsal to the ventral retina region. A middle retina zone comprises the receptor somata, a proximal zone, their axons. Synaptic contacts between axons and interneuron dendrites, feedback synapses to axons, and axo-axonic synapses are found, showing varying pre-synaptic structures. A possible functional role of the ocelli is discussed.

Sex pheromones of two Asian moths (Creatonotos transiens, C. gangis; Lepidoptera--Arctiidae): behavior, morphology, chemistry and electrophysiology.

Two sympatric species of Asian arctiid moths (Creatonotos spp.) use a sequential, dual luring and mating system. After sunset males pneumatically expand their coremata from a cavity between the abdominal sternites 7 and 8 and release their pheromone. They attract other males and thus, scent-emitting male groups may develop. About 30 min later females are attracted to the calling males. Upon contact with a female the male's corema deflates and mating follows. After 1-2 h the male calling subsides and now the remaining virgin females continue to emit their pheromone bouquet from internal, tubular glands located in the dorsal part of the abdomen, rostrad from tergite 8/9. This attracts males and further matings occur.- The coremata are huge, pneumatically eversible organs composed of two pairs of tubes, up to 37 mm long, each covered by ca. 3000 scent hairs (scales). There is a giant epidermal (trichogen) gland cell at the base of each hair. One large corema may contain up to 0.5 mg of the pheromone, hydroxydanaidal. The internal, tubular female glands are antler shaped; their air-filled lumen is ventilated by abdominal pumping. The major components of the female attractant are (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-heneicosatriene and (Z,Z)-2 (2,5-octadienyl)-3-undecyloxirane with different ratios in the two species. One of the minor components, common to both species, is (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene. Only the male antennae possess specialized receptor cells for the female attractants; other antennal cells of both sexes respond to the male pheromone.

Morphological differentiation of the central visual cells R7/8 in various regions of the blowfly eye.

The central rhabdomeres in the retina of the blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala and the house fly Musca domestica are not structurally uniform. In Calliphora, four classes of central rhabdomeres were found; they are formed by a total of seven types of central visual cells, clearly distinguished by the following structural features: length of the rhabdomeres R7 or R8, position of the nucleus, rhabdomere twist, fine structure in the R7/R8 transition region, and cross-sectional area of the rhabdomeres. In the lateral part of the eye only the most common central-rhabdomere class, 'sl,' is present, whereas in the frontal and dorsal parts classes 'sl' and 'ls' are found in a particular numerical ratio. Near the frontal eye margin the rare class 'per' also appears, with two separate rhabdomeres, R7per and R8s; the morphological properties of R7per are midway between those of peripheral and central visual cells. The special ommatidia at the dorsal margin of the eye are characterized by the central rhabdomeres 'marg'. The known functional properties of the visual cells in the fly eye can be readily assigned to these classes (Table 1, Fig. 12). The non-uniform distribution of the various kinds of central rhabdomeres suggests functional differentiation of the eye region.

Canine transposition as autosomal recessive trait in an inbred kindred.

Three cases of bilateral transposition of maxillary canines with premolars were observed among eight siblings, Investigation of the sibship revealed consanguinity of the parents (cousins twice removed). Analysis of the extensive pedigree showed an hereditary pattern typical of autosomal recessive traits.