DEPOSITION OF CUTICULAR SUBSTANCES IN VITRO BY LEG REGENERATES FROM THE COCKROACH, LEUCOPHAEA MADERAE (F.)

¹ Metabolism and Radiation Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fargo, North Dakota 58102

Two types of sheath material are deposited during the development of leg regenerates in the cockroach, L. maderae. The first sheath to appear resembles wound cuticle because it contains no chitin. Its deposition in vitro can be induced by a number of unrelated substances. The second sheath contains chitin, bears spines and setae, and represents the cuticle. Deposition of this sheath is induced in vitro by microgram quantities of ecdysterone but not by other substances that were tested.

Leg regenerates dissected as early as 10 days after leg removal were capable of depositing cuticle, but a 100% response to stimulation with ecdysterone was obtained only with leg regenerates 20 or more days old.

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