The Balbiani body in the female germline cells of an earwig, Opisthocosmia silvestris

In the majority of invertebrate and vertebrate species, gametogenesls starts with the formation of cysts (clusters) of sibling germline cells. Cysts originate as the result of mitotic divisions of a specialized germline cell, the cystoblast. Since these divisions are incomplete, the cyst cells (cyst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inZoological science Vol. 26; no. 11; p. 754
Main Authors Tworzydlo, Waclaw, Kloc, Malgorzata, Bilinski, Szczepan M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Japan 01.11.2009
Subjects
Animals
Female
Insecta - cytology
Oocytes
Oogenesis
Ovary - cytology
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Summary:In the majority of invertebrate and vertebrate species, gametogenesls starts with the formation of cysts (clusters) of sibling germline cells. Cysts originate as the result of mitotic divisions of a specialized germline cell, the cystoblast. Since these divisions are incomplete, the cyst cells (cystocytes) remain connected by stable connections, termed intercellular bridges (ring canals). In forflculold earwigs, female germ cell cysts are composed of two cells only: the pro-oocte and pro-nurse cells. We show that in Opisthocosmia silvestris, the cystoblast, as well as both cells of the cyst, contain the Balbiani body (Bb), a distinct cytoplasmic organelle composed of numerous mitochondria. We also show that in the cyst cells, the Bbs are invariably located next to the fusome, a specialized cytoplasm occupying the bridge connecting sibling cells.
ISSN:0289-0003
DOI:10.2108/zsj.26.754